President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. presides during the 17th NEDA board meeting in Kalayaan Hall, Malacañang Palace on Monday, June 03, 2024. KJ Rosales, PPA Pool

MANILA -- The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board has approved a project to improve the government's human resources management system.

The Philippine Civil Service Modernization (PCSM) project will help the government automate, digitalize, and streamline human resource (HR) information systems and processes across different agencies.

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“The public sector employs nearly two million individuals who are essential to the provision of public services. If the system lacks efficiency, and government agencies are not interconnected, we cannot optimize our service delivery," said NEDA Secretary-General Arsenio Balisacan.

The project will first be implemented in 39 pilot government agencies in 2025, and then will expand to 1,187 government agencies within the next ten years.

The NEDA Board also approved an increased budget and an extension of the loan validity and implementation period for the Metro Manila Priority Bridges Seismic Improvement Project, which will retrofit and strengthen the Guadalupe Bridge and the Lambingan Bridge.

The board agreed to increase the budget by P2.406 billion, bringing the total cost to P10.339 billion.

The project aims to minimize the effects of large-scale earthquakes in Metro Manila and minimize possible disruptions to economic activity in the event of a major earthquake.

The NEDA Board also approved the extension for the submission of comparative proposals for the upgrade, expansion, operations, and maintenance of the Laguindingan International Airport. 

In May, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary for Aviation Roberto Lim said the airport in Cagayan de Oro is up for "Swiss challenge" after they published the instruction to bidders. 

This was after talks with Aboitiz InfraCapital, who has original proponent status (OPS).

Lim said two groups have paid the participation fee to possibly outbid Aboitiz but have not yet submitted any counter proposals.

NEDA Board approves terms for Laguna Lakeshore project, Bohol, Laguindingan airports

If there are no bidders, the project will be awarded by the end of September. If there are challengers, the project may be awarded by the middle of December, NEDA said.