The Department of Trade and Industry Region and Department of Public Works and Highways Region in CALABARZON Region recently conducted a Regional Orientation for the Roads Leveraging Linkages of Industry and Trade (ROLL-IT) Program to facilitate efficient and coordinated efforts among the two Departments to identify, prioritize, and implement road access infrastructure leading to various industries and economic zones in a technically-correct and politically-participative process with input and support from the business and civil society, as well as, local government units (LGUs).
The Roads Leveraging Linkages for Industry and Trade or ROLL IT Program aims to further the growth of investments and other economic activities in the country through more road projects leading to manufacturing and economic zones.
DTI CALABARZON was tasked to identify potential industry road projects using the Road Leveraging Linkages Evaluation Rating System (ROLLERS)—identification, importance, necessity, and implementability/readiness.
“DTI and DPWH joined forces to address the damaged and impassable roads leading to industries and trade development cities and towns in CALABARZON because we aim to have inclusive economic growth,” said DTI CALABARZON Director Marilou Toledo.
Launched in November 2016, the two government agencies signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the ROLL IT project implementation on road connectivity for industry and trade development. Under the agreement, DTI will identify areas where industry sectors need road facilities and connectivity.
For 2018, ROLL IT has 229 total approved projects nationwide, with estimated number of 502.1 kilometers amounting to P12.5 billion.
In CALABARZON, there are eight ROLL IT projects amounting to P479 million in the following areas namely, Dasmarinas, Cavite; Cabuyao City, Laguna; Lopez, Quezon; Alabat, Quezon; Guinayangan, Quezon; Gumaca, Quezon; Atimonan, Quezon; and Tagkawayan, Quezon.
The ROLL IT Convergence Program will be one of the strong platforms of the promise of a Golden Age of Infrastructure for the Philippines, through a target of national infrastructure budget of 7% of Gross Domestic Product, roughly equivalent to around P8.2 trillion.
The ROLL IT Program will further fuel the recent high growth of domestic investments as well as the surge in foreign direct investments of the country, through more road projects funded within 2016-2022.
The ROLL IT program’s goal is to prioritize infrastructure development in the country. It will leverage on the success and experiences of the DOT-DPWH Convergence Program or the Tourism Road Infrastructure Program (TRIP) that lead to the upgrading of roads leading to tourist destinations.
The initiative of DTI and DPWH is intended to contribute in delivering accelerated infrastructure development and inclusive economic growth.
Through better road infrastructure connecting the industries, industrial and regional development strategy can be realized and will further facilitate balanced development, dispersal of industries away from urban areas towards the rural areas, creating more job and income opportunities to more Filipinos.
