The Philippine government has approved more than a hundred new infrastructure projects worth PHP9tr (about USD164bn). Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the 123 projects comprise mostly those improving physical connectivity, including long-distance railways near the capital and in central and southern Philippines, and an upgrade of the ageing Manila international airport, the country’s main gateway. The list also includes water infrastructure, like irrigation and flood management, and projects in digital connectivity, health, power and energy, agriculture, and others. This brings to 194 the government’s priority infrastructure projects that will see faster permitting processes, 45 of which will be funded by the private sector through public-private partnerships. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said he prefers to tap private capital to bankroll his infrastructure ambitions.