The Marcos administration intends to fast-track the implementation of projects in the second half of the year and raise infrastructure spending, officials said, following the economic team’s decision to cut this year’s growth target because of the effects of the Middle East war and the flood control scandal.

The Dutch government is preparing "difficult" decisions on infrastructure spending to address multibillion-euro budget shortfalls. In the meantime, State Secretary Annet Bertram said spending the money on the repairs to the high-speed rail line between Amsterdam and Rotterdam and the rollout of the European ERTMS rail safety system are “really necessary."