CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga (PIA) — The Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) underscored the importance of infrastructure development in building a better and more resilient Central Luzon.
During the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting and Infrastructure Summit of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), PICE Central Luzon Regional Coordinator Levitico Esguerra Jr. lauded DPWH for being at the forefront of transforming the physical, economic, and environmental landscape of Central Luzon.
“Through its strategic infrastructure projects and programs, the department has significantly enhanced accessibility across the region’s seven provinces, fostering seamless connectivity between urban centers and rural communities. These initiatives have not only improved the daily lives of residents and communities but have also spurred economic growth, creating opportunities for businesses and industries to thrive in this vital region,” he said.
With this, Esguerra expressed PICE’s support to DPWH’s initiatives in empowering engineers towards building a resilient, inclusive, and thriving nation.
He said PICE is doing its share to promote sustainable practices and elevate the standards of civil engineering, which is aligned with DPWH’s mission to improve road safety, construct disaster-resilient infrastructure, and protect lives and properties
“Through technical sessions and learning programs, we provide DPWH engineers with the advanced knowledge and resources needed to implement efficient, innovative, and impactful infrastructure projects. These efforts ensure that Filipino engineers remain at the forefront of technological advancements and are equipped to address evolving challenges,” he said.
For her part, PCCI North Luzon Regional Governor Cristina Tuzon highlighted the business sector’s recognition of infrastructure as a key driver of development and competitiveness.
She stressed that a well-connected and resilient Central Luzon is essential for attracting investments and supporting the region’s growing industries.
“We know that Central Luzon is the country’s food basket so it is important that we have good infrastructure to transport our agricultural products. This enhances economic growth, boosts productivity, and improve the quality of life for every Filipino in line with PBBM [President Marcos Jr.] vision for Bagong Pilipinas. In fact, we are the third biggest contributor to our gross domestic product at 11 percent,” Tuzon said.
She also talked about the need to address the challenges in infrastructure brought by disasters and climate change in order to build a future that is sustainable, resilient, and equitable.
“Investing in infrastructure is about building the needs of our country. We need to embrace innovation, explore and adapt new technologies, from smart grid to autonomous vehicles that can transform our lives and work and help us move forward collectively,” Tuzon said.
Further, there is a need for collaboration between the government, industry, and private sector to keep up with foreign counterparts in coming up with concrete solutions that will improve the region’s infrastructure for the benefit of future generations. (CLJD/MJSC, PIA Region 3-Pampanga)
