House approves bill on infra masterplan

Train track engineers and laborers continue working on the Metro Rail Transit 7 along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on July 8, 2023. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/FileMANILA — The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill mandating the formulation and institutionalization of a 30-year Comprehensive Infrastructure Development Masterplan that will serve as a roadmap for infra investments and ensure continuity across administrations.

During House plenary session on Monday, 283 House members voted in support of House Bill 11597, eight voted against it, and one abstained.

Under House Bill 11597 or the proposed Masterplan for Infrastructure and National Development Act, the plan will cover transportation, energy, water, information and communications technology, social, and agricultural infrastructure.

It establishes the Masterplan for Infrastructure and National Development (MIND) Council, chaired by the President, to oversee the plan’s formulation, implementation and regular updates. 

The council brings together key Cabinet secretaries and stakeholders for coordinated development and will monitor implementation and ensure compliance.

The proposed measure also seeks to tie annual government budgets directly to the 30-year plan to prevent arbitrary changes. 

It will implement strict, technology-driven standards to curb corruption and ensure disaster resilience. 

The bill also requires all government offices to share digital map data with a central planning body to build a unified national database. 

It creates a single, unified database to help map out project zones, assess disaster risks, and pick the best investments.