LEGAZPI CITY -- Bicol will invest some P4.2 billion in various infrastructure projects next year to perk up the region’s economy by 2008, the Regional Development Council (RDC) said Monday.

        Albay Gov. Joey Sarte Salceda, RDC chair, said the council has endorsed to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) in Manila the P 4.2 billion infrastructure development projects consisting of construction, repair, and rehabilitation of various roads, bridges and flood control structures across the region.

        The Infrastructure Development Committee of the RDC has reviewed and endorsed recently the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) infrastructure development program in its 2009 Annual Investment Plan (AIP).

        Salceda said the DPWH proposed projects are supportive of the thrust and priorities of the Medium Term Development Program (2004-2010) and the Regional Development Investment Program (RDIP).

        At the recent RDC meeting held in Daet, Camarines Norte, Orlando Roces, DPWH regional director presented the P4.2 billion infrastructure projects consisting of local funds of P3.2 billion and P972 million from foreign assisted funds.

        For various highway projects worth P2.6 billion the break down includes : locally funded projects amounting to P1.9 billion, foreign assisted projects worth P770 million.

        For construction and maintenance of bridges an amount of P252 million is earmarked. Of the amount, P202 million would come from foreign assisted funds while only P50 million from locally funded projects.

        For flood control projects some P600 million will be spent for the Bicol River Basin and Watershed Management Project with P300 million, Yawa river System in this city with P100 million, and other flood control projects worth P200 million.

        Some P560 million infra projects will be spent under the Congressional Project Development Assistance Fund from Bicol’s congressional representatives.

        While P80 million will be spent for the construction, repair, improvement of national government buildings and P15 million for preliminary and detailed engineering activities.

        Roces said for road projects some 48 kilometers of roads will be either constructed or repaired under foreign funding from Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), the Korean International Cooperation, and the People’s Republic of China.

        Locally funded road projects with a total of 67 kilometers of various roads would be in line with the nautical highways, roads that would support peace and development, tourism, and roads to address bottlenecks.

        For construction and repair of vital bridges foreign donors include the governments of Austria, Spain, United Kingdom and Japan worth P202 million while only P50 million came from local financing.