NEDA Board approves water, sanitation projects --[Reported by Umva mag]

THE National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board said it approved two projects that will boost water and sanitation service delivery.

In a statement on Thursday, NEDA said the Board approved the Unified Resource Allocation Framework for the Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) sector, which will rationalize and target the allocation of available resources.

NEDA, following the Board meeting on Wednesday, said the project seeks to address the inequitable delivery of basic water and sanitation infrastructure “caused by inadequate funding, low technical capacities of service providers, and institutional challenges.”

The project will also “promote leveraging of market-based financing, as well as leveraging grants/subsidies from the National Government,” NEDA added.

The Board also approved the definition of terms used for the water and sanitation sector in the Philippines in a bid to address issues arising from the absence of a uniform set of data and classifications related to WSS agencies.

“The policy aims to align service level definitions with international standards to allow for a more comprehensive assessment and monitoring of the country’s progress in attaining targets related to water supply, sanitation, and hygiene such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

The Board also approved the extension of the implementation period and change in scope of the Development Objective Grant Agreement for Development Objective Improved Health for Underserved Filipinos project of the Department of Health (DoH) and funded by the United States Agency for International Development.

“Responding to the issues on logistics and pharmaceutical management, shortages of qualified health professionals in underserved areas, and inadequate public sector capacity in policy development, financing and private sector engagement, the project is now extended to Sept. 30, 2025, and will now encompass all 17 regions.”

The palace on Wednesday said the NEDA Board chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. also approved the first phase of a P27.92-billion DoH project that seeks to boost local health systems.

The Board had also greenlit the Mindanao Transport Connectivity Improvement Project, which seeks to connect Regions 10, 11, and 12. The World Bank in December approved a $456-million loan for the project. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

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