24/7 work on all vital infrastructure projects pushed

President Rodrigo Duterte has given his go-ahead to implement economic managers’ plan to do 24/7 work on infrastructure projects alongside a faster rollout of public-private partnership (PPP) projects.

Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno told reporters Tuesday that they already brought to the President’s attention the proposal to do nonstop work on vital infrastructure in and out of Metro Manila. “It’s OK with him (Duterte),” Diokno said.

The budget chief said the government loses P2.3 billion a day to delayed implementation of infrastructure projects.

The government plans to raise to 5.2 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) its expenditures on infrastructure by next year as Diokno lamented that the sector had been neglected in the past.

Diokno said all major projects amounting more than P10 million would be included among those to be worked on 24/7.

The Budget chief admitted that working on infrastructure projects nonstop would initially be costly but he pointed out that there already were advanced technologies that could be tapped to lessen the hassle to be caused to the public, citing for instance a technology that reduced noise.

For his part, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez pointed out that the country was “playing a lot of catch up” in terms of infrastructure development, especially amid robust vehicle sales despite the lack of roads and highways.

The finance chief noted that the plan for emergency powers for the President to address a traffic crisis would be complementary with the plan to speed up infrastructure work.

Economic managers plan to convene the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Board, chaired by the President, immediately after Duterte’s state of the nation address or Sona on July 25. The Neda Board approves the major infrastructure projects, including those to be bid out through PPP, that will be undertaken by the government.

The plan is to reduce to about 18 months from an average 29 months at present the entire process of rolling out to awarding PPP projects, which can be done by reducing the number of permits required. Ben O. de Vera