SENATOR Edgardo “Sonny” Angara on Saturday suggested that it could be necessary to launch an investigation into the adding and scrapping of flagship projects in the administration’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program, which now listed up to hundred projects from the previous 75.
Interviewed over a radio program, Angara said he disagreed that the “Build, Build, Build” program was a “failure,” given that government spending on infrastructure had reached five percent of gross domestic product, as recommended by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
He, however, acknowledged that the administration’s revisions in its list of projects could mean some of them were not feasible.
“Yan na ho yun, yung pagkatanggal ng proyekto sa 75 at paglabas ng 100 ay pag-amin na mukhang malabo na yung mga proyekto. Sa akin, mas magandang development ito at maging realistic tayo,” said Angara.
Thus, he suggested an investigation on the delays in the execution of some of the projects.
“Alam mo kelangan ng separate na investigation yan kasi kailangan pasukin lahat ng proseso ng bawat ahensya. Kung flagship yan may proposal yan, feasibility study, daan sa NEDA board, sa ibang ahensya so lahat yan kung gusto natin malaman ang source ng kabagalan. Pero para sa akin lahat ng ahensya may accountability diyan,” Angara said.
Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia last month announced that the government was “trimming” the list of 75 flagship projects it had promised to deliver or so by “substituting with others more economically feasible and doable.”
Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon had said that the government’s infrastructure program was a “dismal failure” as only nine of the 75 flagship programs had started construction, based on the report of the Commission on Audit. (GMA News)
