DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Leaders of the economic subregion in Southeast Asia have agreed to fast-track key infrastructure projects that would increase connectivity and support food production hubs in the subregion.

In a joint statement issued at the end of the 7th Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-EAGA Summit, BIMP-EAGA leaders were encouraged by the progress of the 12 priority infrastructure projects (PIPs) being implemented in EAGA and urged their respective ministers and senior officials to fast-track the implementation of these PIPs.

Among the EAGA priority infrastructure projects for 2010-2011 are Brunei’s Kuala Lurah Border Crossing Facility and Pandaruan Bridge and Indonesia’s Tanjung Selor-Border Road, Pontianak-Entikong Transport Link and Enhancing Manado-Bitung Link projects.

Also included are the “Trans Borneo Power Grid: Sarawak to West Kalimantan” project of both Malaysia and Indonesia and the Lahad Datu Palm Oil Industrial Cluster project in Malaysia.

Key EAGA infra projects in the Philippines are the Expansion of Mindanao Ports Program I and 2 and Rehabilitation of the Davao-General Santos Road.

The Leaders also supported the formulation of the Implementation Blueprint for 2012-2016, a guide to a more-focused implementation of programs and projects in BIMP-EAGA.

For the Philippines, President Aquino noted that there have been steady gains in ASEAN economic integration as manifested by the accomplishments of the BIMP-EAGA.

“For the past 17 years, BIMP-EAGA has served as a vital mechanism in the process of actualizing our collective vision as brother nations,” President Aquino said. “We are confident of its continued significance in such crucial initiatives as those in transport connectivity, and trade facilitation.”