MANILA – The revised list of “Build, Build, Build” program was a sign that the administration’s “ambitious” infrastructure program has failed, Minority House Leader Sen. Franklin Drilon said.
The Ilonggo senator said in an interview that the revision of the administration’s earlier vetted projects was a ‘cosmetic’ move to show that the projects are moving.
“Obviously, dinagdag lang ‘yung 53 projects so that there can be some cosmetic and so they can say that things are moving,” Drilon said.
“Hindi ko naman maintindihan kung bakit hindi aaminin? Why they can’t admit? Maybe there was over enthusiasm at the start of the administration when they listed 75 flagship projects. Ngayon in the middle of this administration, they realized na hindi kaya. Bakit hindi nila sabihin nang diretso?” he added.
The government earlier revised its Build, Build, Build list which now covers 100 projects from the initial 75. Some infrastructure projects were scrapped due to feasibility issues.
The updated list covers flagship infrastructure projects under five categories, namely, transport and mobility; power; water; information and communications technology; and urban development and renewal.
Drilon, meanwhile, noted some of 53 projects included in the revised list are already ongoing projects.
“Some of those 53 projects – it was admitted on record – are ongoing projects. So isinama doon sa flagship projects para sabihin siguro at the end of this administration, they can claim na out of 100 flagship projects, so many were done, so they will get good grades. There is nothing wrong with that but, maybe, transparency would be a better standard,” Drilon said.
The Ilonggo lawmaker has earlier branded the government infrastructure program as “a dismal failure” as only nine of the 75 flagship programs have started construction with two completed./PN
