MANILA: An interagency panel chaired by Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has approved four major infrastructure projects worth 386.3 billion pesos ($7.59 billion), including bridges, roads and the country’s first subway.
The Philippines, one of the world’s fastest growing economies, is overhauling its aging infrastructure to boost its competitiveness, create jobs and attract foreign firms hesitant about power costs, logistics headaches and supply chains challenges.
The approval and eventual completion of these projects “will pave the way for us to achieve our mid-term and long-term goals” as a nation, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said.
The latest bundle brings the total number of approved projects to 35 worth 1.2 trillion pesos ($23.6 billion) since Duterte took office in July 2016.
The biggest plan approved on Tuesday was the 355.6 billion pesos Metro Manila Subway Project, the first of its kind in the Philippines, and seen as an urgently needed solution to the sprawling capital’s notorious gridlock.
It will be funded by overseas aid from Japan and construction is expected to start early next year.
Also endorsed was the expansion of roads in the southern Philippines worth 21.2 billion pesos, construction of bridges in Manila valued at 6 billion pesos and the improvement of an irrigation system north of the capital, worth 3.5 billion pesos.
Under the government’s “Build, Build, Build” initiative, Duterte has pledged to usher in a golden age of infrastructure through a six-year, $180 billion spending spree to modernize and build airports, roads, railways and ports.
A construction boom and a strong agriculture sector fueled annual growth of 6.5 percent in the Philippines’ gross domestic product in the second quarter.
Philippines approves $7.6 billion for subway, other infrastructure projects
Philippines approves $7.6 billion for subway, other infrastructure projects
Saudi Arabia’s approach to AI transformation delivering business value: Publicis Sapient CEO
- Nigel Vaz: We’re reimagining how, in the case of tourism, we transform Saudi Arabia into a destination that is actually relevant and attractive for people to explore
- Vaz: Our Slingshot platform handles everything from design to deployment, allowing legacy modernization and new digital apps to be built
DAVOS: As 2026 emerges as a tipping point for artificial intelligence, executives across the Middle East are moving from experimentation to scaling AI in ways that can deliver real business value, according to Nigel Vaz, CEO of Publicis Sapient.
Speaking to Arab News at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Vaz highlighted Saudi Arabia’s proactive approach to integrating technology into national and sectoral strategies.
“I was in meetings with the minister for tourism in Saudi Arabia (Ahmed Al-Khateeb), where we do a lot of work for them, and meetings with (Communications) Minister Abdullah Alswaha,” he said.
“What you realize is technology is incredibly critical, but it’s critical to the extent that we’re reimagining how, in the case of tourism, we transform Saudi Arabia into a destination that is actually relevant and attractive for people to explore.”
Vaz also highlighted applications of AI beyond tourism, including energy and healthcare.
“You’re thinking about how it can enable a greener approach to energy, which is a big goal for their government,” he said.
“And in healthcare, predictive and preventative approaches allow trends to be addressed before they occur, which is a significant cost saving for the government,” he added.
The shift in mindset around AI reflects a broader trend globally.
“Last year there was a lot of excitement about AI, but most work was at a proof-of-concept stage,” Vaz said. “What’s tipped this year is the recognition that AI is only valuable if it drives real business outcomes.”
This involves moving beyond automating individual tasks to enabling entire workflows or decision sets that produce superior results.
“Individual tasks being automated by AI don’t create business benefit,” he said. “Entire workflows or decision sets need to be enabled by AI, and they must deliver better outcomes than are currently possible today.”
Vaz underscored the importance of integrating people and AI rather than treating technology as a replacement, adding: “Unless you’re a technology nerd, you’re not really caring about the technology for its own sake.”
Geopolitical tensions further heighten the importance of AI for real-time, intelligent decision-making. Vaz explained that Publicis Sapient has developed platforms such as Slingshot, Bodhi and SustainAI to deliver enterprise-grade AI solutions with measurable business impact.
“Our Slingshot platform handles everything from design to deployment, allowing legacy modernization and new digital apps to be built two to three times faster and 30 to 40 percent cheaper,” he said.
Bodhi leverages industry expertise to create agentic capabilities for autonomous decision-making, while Sustain transforms IT service management, using AI to monitor systems, self-heal, and reduce manual workload, he explained
“All of this is not to sell software; it’s to deliver outcomes to clients. That’s what we care about,” Vaz added.
He offered guidance for leaders navigating the AI era.
“An AI North Star is focusing on an area of the business where untapped value can be unlocked,” he said. “Focus on how that value will drive growth, reduce costs, or improve experiences for customers or employees, and use AI to achieve those outcomes, rather than experimenting in small pockets.”
For Vaz, 2026 represents a year when enterprises, particularly in forward-looking Middle Eastern economies like Saudi Arabia, are moving from theory to practice, scaling AI to deliver tangible impact and measurable outcomes for businesses, governments, and citizens alike.
