A pandemic has slowed down but not stopped the various infrastructure projects around the metropolis, with some set for completion this year.
So much has been going on this month that even I couldn’t keep up. Nevertheless,we try to keep tabs of what went on in this edition of the Roamer’s Roundup, including an update on that controversial Bench ad and the work on the planned Gil Puyat Underpass in Makati.
Recently, the National Economic and Development Authority, (NEDA) the government’s economic development planning body, has approved 12 new infrastructure projects to be built in the country. In particular interest to Metro Manila are 2 projects which are hoped to alleviate the metropolis’ traffic woes. (the operative word there is “hopefully”)
It has to be noted though that these two projects (at least some aspects of them) are not really new. In fact, they have been long in the pipeline but it is only now that NEDA gave them the approval to get started with these projects.
There was a recent news item that reported about the Intramuros Administration’s actions in taking the first steps for the Walled City to be completely “cable-free,” which would mean that the distracting overhead wires coming from electrical, phone, and cable utilities would now be placed underground, giving an unobstructed view of the many landmarks in the area.
This development is the latest episode in the question of putting these cables that have long been seen overhead in most parts of the metropolis, something that has been a source of contention for some time.