DOF vows fast, graft-free ‘Build, Build, Build’ projects

With the Duterte administration giving the green light to some 23 flagship projects under its ambitious “Build, Build, Build” program, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has vowed that the implementation of these projects will be fast and corruption-free.

In a text message to reporters on Tuesday, Dominguez cited three specific actions by which the government could ensure a graft-free implementation of the massive infrastructure projects.

First of these actions, Dominguez said, is to require “the contractors of China-funded projects to be officially endorsed by the government of China.”

Dominguez also mentioned that “strictly monitoring all phases of project implementation” and “careful project preparation” would safeguard the clean rollout of these projects.

“Under the leadership of President Duterte, we have managed to reduce corruption to the barest minimum in all our government efforts. We have started the projects already,” Dominguez said in an interview at the sidelines of the Asean Finance Ministers’ and Central Governors’ Meeting held in Singapore on April 5-6.

To recall, 23 of the 75 high-impact and big-ticket projects identified by the government, with a combined total cost of $170 billion, have already made it beyond the approval process and are now “shovel-ready.” The go-signal was given by the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) chaired by President Duterte.

Dominguez also expects that the rest of the projects will meet approval before the year ends.

“So the projects are going quickly, and we are very, very confident that they are going to be completed on time with no corruption,” Dominguez said.

Earlier, the finance chief also explained that part of the speedy rollout of the projects is the implementation of a “three-in-one process” of approvals where the Neda Board approval, the forward obligational authority and the special presidential authority will be issued all at once.