MANILA - The National Economic Development Authority Board, chaired by President Rodrigo Duterte, has approved 10 infrastructure projects, including a railway from Manila to the Bicol Region, Malacanang said Tuesday.

The 653-kilometer North-South Railway project will connect Manila's Tutuban shopping district to Legazpi City in Albay province, with extensions from Legazpi to Matnog in Sorsogon and Calamba, Laguna to Batangas province.

Duterte aims to approve at least 16 road, rail and airport projects this year, moving "very rapidly" to upgrade the country's creaking infrastructure that has held back growth and cost the economy P2.4 billion in daily losses.

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said the 10 projects approved by the NEDA board on Monday include:

1. Scaling up of the Second Cordillera Highlands Agricultural Resources Management Project
2. Expansion of the Philippine Rural Development Project
3. Improvement/ Widening of General Luis-Kaybiga-Polo-Novaluches Road to Valenzuela City
4. New Cebu International Port
5. North-South Railway Project - South Line
6. Confirmation on Unbundling of earlier NEDA Board-Approved Airport Projects
7. Chico River Pump Irrigation Project
8. Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project, Stage 2

9. New Nayong Pilipino at Entertainment City
10. Improvement/widening of road from Quirino Highway, Quezon City to Gen MacArthur Highway

The board also discussed guidelines on Chinese assistance for infrastructure projects, Abella said in a statement.

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