“One of the keys to continuing economic growth is infrastructure development,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared during his 2023 State of the Nation Address. “So we will build better, and
more.”
Build, Better, More (BBM) is the fulfillment of President Marcos’ promise to implement a robust infrastructure development program that aims to address the critical inadequacies in the country’s current infrastructure. It is also intended to boost the national economy by encouraging investment in construction and creating secure jobs that can compete with the current employment market.
Expanding on the previous administration’s Build Build Build program, Build Better More is a five-year program spanning from 2023 to 2028 that includes 124 entirely new infrastructure flagship projects (IFPs), along with 74 projects taken from the previous Build Build Build program, for a total of 198 high-impact IFPs. The total cost of the BBM program is estimated to be around P8.3 trillion.
The Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) is a major contributor to the Build Better More program. Designated as the clearinghouse for all reclamation projects in the country, the PRA is responsible for converting reclaimed lands into valuable, income-generating real estate properties that bring additional revenue to state coffers.
The infrastructure projects under Build Better More run the gamut from road expansion and construction to urban development and public transportation, to investments in information and
communications technology, agriculture, health, and water resources.
Several of these projects fall under the purview of the Philippine Reclamation Authority, the most notable being the CAVITEX-C5 Link Expressway and the Cavite-Laguna (CALAX) Expressway. In 2024, the
Public Estate Authority Corporation (PEAC), a subsidiary of the PRA, and the CAVITEX Infrastructure Corporation (CIC) reached an agreement to share 10% of the profits from the CAVITEX toll roads. With an estimated daily revenue of P9 million, the PRA’s management of CAVITEX alone brings in a substantial amount of profit for the national government.
However, the PRA’s goal is not merely profit. With a new directive to become a “Poverty Reduction Advocate,” the agency is exploring more ways to improve the lives of its direct stakeholders, “upang sa gayon ay maibsan ang paghihirap ng ating mamamayan,” said PRA. General Manager Cesar Siador Jr.
Part of this directive is to create employment opportunities for Filipinos, especially for ongoing reclamation projects and developments.
It is important to President Marcos, however, that the employment opportunities created for Filipinos are stable and viable for the long term. In a decision earlier this year to extend the contract of service and job orders for government workers whose contracts will expire in 2024, and instructed government agencies to look closely at the current state of their workforces.
“Pag-aralan natin, just look at the numbers, the data on average, government agencies. How many of their employees are contractual? ”President Marcos Jr. said. “How many items are in their plantilla proper are not filled?. How many are contractual as a percentage of the total number of employees? Kasi the percentages are one of the most important. Then Titingnan natin is average. [It will] give us an idea of how people are using the system,” the President pointed out, adding that the goal was to build a pool of workers that can qualify for government positions and pass the civil service examination.
In fact, in October 2024, the World Bank Group commended the Philippines for standing out as “one of the few nations achieving both strong economic growth and significant improvements in uplifting people’s lives.”
In the same meeting, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto noted that with the unemployment rate dropping to 4% in August 2024, the figures meant that 49.2 million Filipinos are employed to date, and that “62.4% of them [are] in formal and stable jobs.”
He further shared that the Philippines was on track to achieve a single-digit poverty incidence of 9% by the end of President Marcos’ term in 2028.
With multiple ongoing reclamation activities, the PRA stands as a major generator of employment opportunities for Filipinos. One of the agency’s current projects, the 265-hectare reclamation in Pasay, known as the Pasay City Harbor Reclamation Project, is projected to create “millions of jobs and billions of revenues,” according to Pasay City administrator Peter Manzano.
Reclaimed land that is developed into high-value real estate properties stimulates the economy by creating jobs, attracting new businesses and/or tourism to the area, and helping in the growth of industries and sectors.
In a 2024 article, BusinessWorld noted that, “In the Philippine context, improved infrastructure is boosting productivity, enhancing connectivity, and attracting foreign investment. The country has recognized the significance of investing in physical assets like roads, bridges, airports, and other large-scale projects to drive economic growth and competitiveness.”
Indeed, research shows that each investment into infrastructure, especially public infrastructure, yields significant economic returns. An analysis conducted by the World Bank in 2022 revealed that every $1 of public investment into infrastructure yielded an average of $1.5 in economic activity.
With the Build Better More program estimated to invest over P8 trillion in infrastructure, one can only imagine the significant economic returns once the projects are completed.
Although the BBM program has only been ongoing for two years, President’ administration has already made significant strides in the implementation of its plans. The Philippine Reclamation Authority proudly supports the president’s vision of a “Bagong Pilipinas” in the reclamation of land that can be developed to generate revenue, employment opportunities, and economic growth.
Wider pavements, better roads and bridges, and world class infrastructure all form the backbone of a developed, progressive country that uplifts its citizens’ lives. This is President Marcos’ promise through Build Better More: to serve and uplift Filipino workers.
“It has been a source of great hope and optimism to me to now know that there is an enormous pool of highly competent and dedicated workers serving government,” he said in his 2023 SONA. “It is up to us to give them good leadership. They love the Philippines.”