The last time President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. faced the public for his annual State of the Nation Address (SoNA), he vowed that most of his major projects under the Build Better More (BBM) program would be completed before the country elects its next president in 2028.

Through BBM, Marcos sought not only to build infrastructure but also to strengthen connectivity across the Philippines’ vast archipelago.

“The biggest projects are being laid out throughout the archipelago through roads, bridges, railway, airports, seaports, irrigation systems, and housing projects,” the President said during last year’s SoNA.

A year later, questions remain over the status of these projects, particularly after Marcos himself exposed what he described as one of the biggest corruption scandals in Philippine history.

Under the government’s flagship infrastructure program, P9 trillion has been allocated for 190 high-impact projects.

Railway networks

One of the administration’s priorities has been establishing an efficient and affordable transportation network for millions of commuters in Metro Manila.

Although construction began before Marcos assumed office, his administration has overseen the continued development of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), a 147-kilometer rail network stretching from Clark International Airport to Calamba, Laguna, at a cost of P873.6 billion.

While the Department of Transportation (DoTr) remains optimistic that partial operations will begin in 2027, full operations are not expected until 2032.

One of the primary causes of the delay has been the failure to secure the necessary right-of-way (ROW) for various segments of the railway.

Earlier this year, the DoTr reported that only about 56 to 65 percent of the required ROW had been secured for the northern section of the project.

Another major rail project under construction is the Metro Manila Subway, originally proposed during the administration of the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

The proposal was later shelved and replaced by the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1) because of concerns over flooding.

Like the NSCR, the subway project has also faced ROW issues. Construction was further slowed during the Covid-19 pandemic because of health restrictions that disrupted logistics and construction activities.

Aside from building new rail lines, the Marcos administration has also focused on improving connectivity within existing transit systems.

The LRT-1 Extension project, which began during the Duterte administration, remains on track for full completion before 2028.

Originally running from Fernando Poe Jr. Station in Quezon City to Baclaran Station in Parañaque City, the railway has since been extended farther south, with additional stations eventually linking the line to Bacoor, Cavite.

Road network

While most of the railway projects were inherited from the previous administration, Marcos has focused on expanding the country’s road network.

Among the projects highlighted during his 2025 SoNA was the proposed P219.3-billion Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge.

In a recent interview, Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon said the project is unlikely to be completed during the Marcos administration because key contract packages have yet to be awarded.

“We will have a major announcement soon because we are close to awarding packages at Manila Bay. It will start soon and we are really excited for it,” Dizon said.

“The other packages are ongoing but we will award critical projects very soon. So just wait for our announcement on that,” he added.

Dizon explained that the project’s complexity stems from its 24-kilometer crossing over Manila Bay.

Another major undertaking is the proposed Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island Bridge, a 32.47-kilometer structure designed to improve connectivity across the Visayas.

The project, estimated to cost between P187 billion and P300 billion, has been pushed back to late 2027 because of alignment concerns and engineering challenges posed by the deep seabed.

Construction has also begun on the Laguna Lakeshore Road Network (LLRN), which will connect Taguig City and Calamba, Laguna.

Like many flagship projects, the LLRN has experienced delays because of design revisions and the need to complete environmental and social impact assessments for the 45.5-kilometer roadway.

The last time President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. faced the public for his annual State of the Nation Address (SoNA), he vowed that most of his major projects under the Build Better More (BBM) program would be completed before the country elects its next president in 2028.

Through BBM, Marcos sought not only to build infrastructure but also to strengthen connectivity across the Philippines’ vast archipelago.

“The biggest projects are being laid out throughout the archipelago through roads, bridges, railway, airports, seaports, irrigation systems, and housing projects,” the President said during last year’s SoNA.

A year later, questions remain over the status of these projects, particularly after Marcos himself exposed what he described as one of the biggest corruption scandals in Philippine history.