ADB: Dense population, right-of-way issues could slow Luzon Economic Corridor projects
The Asian Development Bank warns that the Luzon Economic Corridor projects face potential delays due to high population density and land acquisition challenges. Despite these hurdles, the bank continues to support infrastructure development to boost regional economic activity.
Why it matters
Illustrates the practical difficulties of executing large-scale infrastructure projects in densely populated developing regions.
Despite strong backing from foreign governments, bilateral and multilateral lenders, and private investors, ambitious projects under the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) will still have to navigate challenges such as dense populations and right-of-way issues that could slow their development, according to an Asian Development Bank (ADB) official.
ADB Philippines country director Andrew Jeffries said financial collaboration with institutions such as the Manila-based multilateral lender could help make LEC projects more attractive to private investors, but major infrastructure projects inevitably take time to develop.
“Infrastructure doesn’t happen overnight. Acquiring land, dealing with impacts on people [who] are affected by whatever the project is—all these things just take time anywhere in the world, not just in the Philippines,” Jeffries told Manila Bulletin on the sidelines of the LEC Investment Forum last Thursday, Sept. 10.
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