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Friday, March 29, 2024

‘Guard against infra mess’

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TAXPAYERS should be on guard against possible irregularities in the implementation of the government’s P9-trillion infrastructure program, Senator Panfilo Lacson said over the weekend.

In an open forum with members of the Rotary Club of Makati Central, Lacson said taking up the role of watchdog should not be limited to legislators as it was everyone’s civic duty.

“We should be watchful on the implementation of these projects. Losing just 20 percent of the P9 trillion to irregularities means a whopping P1.8 trillion lost to corruption,” he said.

The Duterte administration recently lined up an ambitious infrastructure program that will spend P8.4 trillion over the next six years and include a subway system for Metro Manila that will be completed by 2024.

Senator Panfilo Lacson

“Our program of infrastructure buildup will entail trillions in economic investments,” Ernesto Pernia, director-general of the National Economic and Development Authority, said.

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Pernia described the P8.4-trillion infrastructure program as the country’s most ambitious.

For this year, the Duterte administration’s infrastructure spending will amount to P847 billion or 5.3 percent of the gross domestic product.

That would be higher than the 2.6-percent average infrastructure spending for the last six administrations, Pernia said.

And for next  year infrastructure spending will rise to P1.13 trillion.

Lacson said the potential loss from any irregularity might be much bigger than P1.8 trillion as some contractors considered 20 percent as a minimal amount that could be demanded by corrupt officials.

The government has said it will be earmarking over P9 trillion for infrastructure projects through its “Build, Build, Build” program.

Meanwhile, Lacson said he would also participate actively in hearings on the proposed budget for 2018 once it was submitted to Congress.

Last year, Lacson discovered billions of pesos in pork-like insertions in the budget for 2017. That included some P8.3 billion in the Department of Public Works and Highways’ budget for projects in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

After Lacson exposed the P8.3-billion pork and stood his ground, senators agreed to realign the funds to free tuition for state colleges and universities.

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