MAKATATANGGAP ang Pilipinas ng USD4-billion funding grant mula sa Asian Development Bank (ADB) para sa implementasyon ng socio-economic at infrastructure development plans ng administrasyong Marcos sa taong 2023.
Ito’y matapos na makipagpulong si Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. kay ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa sa regional development bank’s headquarters sa Mandaluyong City, araw ng Lunes,
“This 2023 alone, we expect to provide up to USD4 billion to support the government’s Socio-Economic Agenda and the Build Better More infrastructure development program,” ang sinabi ni Asakawa kay Pangulong Marcos sa ADB reception sa headquarters, ayon sa kalatas na ipinalabas ni Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cheloy Garafil.
Tinukoy ang pahayag ni Asakawa, tinuran ni Garafil na “ADB’s financial support to the Philippines has increased “by fourfold,” ang grants aniya ay umabot na sa kabuuang USD12.7 bilyon sa pagitan ng 2018 at 2022.”
“the funding grant for 2023 will be used to support the Philippine government’s preparation of several “transformative” projects such as the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge Project, the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project and the Integrated Floor Resilience and Adaptation Project,” ayon kay Asakawa.
“The ADB was the Philippines’ top source of active Official Development Assistance (ODA) among 20 development partners in 2022, accounting for 34 percent (USD10.74 billion for 31 loans and 28 grants) of the USD31.95 billion of the total active ODA,” ayon sa ulat.
“From 2010 to 2022, ADB’s annual loan financing for the Philippines averaged at USD1.4 billion.Three loans amounting to USD1.10 billion were signed with the ADB within the first nine months of the Marcos administration,” ayon pa rin sa ulat.
Sa kabilang dako, nagpahayag naman si Asakawa ng “full commitment” ng ADB para tulungan ang Pilipinas na tugunan ang climate change, sabay sabing “it will be a core priority of our assistance going forward.”
Tiniyak naman nito sa Pilipinas ang suporta ng ADB para sa climate-related projects nito, dahil na rin sa bulnerabilidad ng bansa sa epekto ng climate change dahil sa pagkakalantad sa matitinding weather events.
Ang Pilipinas ay nasa first ranked sa hanay ng 193 bansa sa World Risk Index 2022, patunay ng kahinaan nito sa climate change. Kris Jose
