With seven months left in office, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III is taking measures to strengthen his infrastructure legacy and boost the resilience of one of Asia's fastest-growing economies.
The government aims to award by the end of the first quarter at least 60 percent of the $7.6 billion in public works projects planned for 2016 before a pre-election ban comes into force, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said.
Aquino on Friday also signed an order to ease access for foreign contractors to deals worth at least 3 billion pesos ($64 million) by allowing them to apply for a permanent license to potentially work on multiple projects instead of having to apply on a per-project basis, he said.