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Drilon On Build Build

A lawmaker expressed dismay over the progress of the Philippines' flagship infrastructure program 'Build, Build, Build', saying only two percent of projects have started three years in. The administration disputed this claim, saying many projects are under construction or have been revised to be more viable. A revised project list now contains 100 projects instead of the original 75.

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29 views3 pages

Drilon On Build Build

A lawmaker expressed dismay over the progress of the Philippines' flagship infrastructure program 'Build, Build, Build', saying only two percent of projects have started three years in. The administration disputed this claim, saying many projects are under construction or have been revised to be more viable. A revised project list now contains 100 projects instead of the original 75.

Uploaded by

Joseph Zafra
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Drilon: 'Build, Build, Build' is a

dismal failure
By Joyce Ilas, CNN Philippines
Published Nov 12, 2019 6:18:49 PM
 
  

Senate Minority Speaker Franklin Drilon (FILE PHOTO)


Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 12) — A lawmaker has expressed dismay
over the administration's flagship infrastructure progress.
On Tuesday, Senate Minority Speaker Franklin Drilon said, "Sad to say, the Build, Build,
Build program of this administration is a dismal failure... We have only two and a half
years left of this administration. I don’t think any substantial progress insofar as that
program is concerned will be achieved. The execution is simply dismal."
Data from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) showed only nine
out of 75, or two percent of the projects under Build, Build, Build have commenced three
years into the term of President Rodrigo Duterte.
LOOK: List of 75 projects under "Build, Build, Build"
Among those started are the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge in Pasig, the Binondo-
Intramuros bridge, three road projects in Clark, and the Clark Airport.
Drilon added the failure of the Build, Build, Build program is reflective of the kind of
economic relationship the Philippines has with China.
"What I recall is that the 75 projects would be part of the economic relationship between
China and the Philippines. Apparently that aspect of relation between the two countries
is a total failure," he said.
The Palace has called out Drilon for his statements, saying the senator's claim is
baseless.
"Senator Frank, look at the administration you previously belonged. Six years, not a
single infrastructure na nagawa. Malayong-malayo sa dami [There are so many]," said
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo in a briefing Tuesday.
During the start of the plenary debates on the 2020 budget in the upper house, Senate
Finance Committee chairman Senator Sonny Angara said the administration is
scrapping some of its flagship projects in its Build, Build, Build program to be replaced
by more doable ones.
Angara says the government found that some projects can no longer be implemented
because of technical, financial, and economic non-viability.
"NEDA has been issuing and Secretary (Ernesto) Pernia has been mentioning they will
revise the 75, kasi nakita nila na hindi talaga mairoll out yung iba so nirerevise nila to
more doable or shovel ready project. We’ve been waiting for that list," he said.
Angara pointed out that only some of the flagship programs will not be rolled out, adding
the government is still looking to complete a total of 43 projects by 2022.
Meanwhile, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar denied Drilon's claim, saying Build,
Build, Build cannot be called a failure because even if the list of projects was revised,
the new list includes projects that are under construction.
"I think they’re using the old list that we first used prior to all the technical studies. Now
the new list, with all the studies we’ve done, many of these projects, some have been
finished. Some are in advanced stage of construction. But if you look at the majority,
most of them are already under construction so make no mistake, in any metric that you
use, the build build build is not a failure," he said.
Recently, Presidential Adviser for Flagship Programs and Projects Vince Dizon said a
revised Build, Build, Build list was approved by NEDA's Investment Coordination Committee.
The revised Build, Build, Build list now has 100 projects instead of 75, but a copy has
yet to be released as of this writing.
The new pipeline would now only cost ₱4.2 trillion even if more projects have been
added. Previously, the government said it will spend ₱8 trillion on infrastructure projects
until 2022.
CNN Philippines' Melissa Luz Lopez contributed to this report.

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