MANILA – Opposition senator Franklin Drilon
has slammed the economic managers for the terrible performance of the
administration’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.
During the Senate hearing on the 2020 national budget last Aug. 29, Drilon said
that the infrastructure program was “terrible” as only 9 out of the 75 or 12
percent of the flagship projects have started construction.
“This is a terrible performance,” the Ilonggo senator told Socioeconomic
Planning secretary Ernesto Pernia.
Two years ago, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) had
identified high-priority projects under the “Build, Build, Build” program under
the public works, transportation, energy, and agriculture departments.
But as of the end of April, two of the flagship infrastructure projects have
been completed—the improvements along the Pasig River from Delpan Bridge to
Napindan Channel and the selective dredging of the Pulangi River.
Drilon also said that the delay in the passage of the 2019 national budget
could have been a factor in the slow infrastructure projects but Pernia assured
that there are catch-up measures planned in the 1st quarter of 2019.
“Yes, we had several meetings to do a catch-up program, principally with the
public works, transportation, agriculture, education [departments]. We asked
them to come up with specific programs,” Pernia said. “But when the budget was
approved, the election ban came in place.”
“The NEDA submitted a list of infrastructure projects in February and asked the
Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to exempt these from the election ban,” he
added. “We were not exempted. Answering our request for exemption on Mar. 29,
they (COMELEC) asked for more documents [and the] description of the projects.”
The Ilonggo senator has told Pernia to submit the list to the Senate for the
lawmakers to “confront” COMELEC./PN
