SOME Cabinet officials and an official of the Bases Conversion and the Development Authority (BCDA) said Thursday that the Duterte administration needs the emergency powers to end the worsening traffic situation in the country.
Speaking to reporters, National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) director general Ernesto Pernia wondered why the Senate is having "sweet time" to grant President Rodrigo Duterte emergency powers to address the traffic congestion.
"Emergency powers are really important. I don't know why the Senate is taking its sweet time to pass that emergency powers," Pernia said.
BCDA president and CEO Vivencio Dizon explained that if emergency powers will not be granted to the President, the government will take some time to provide solutions to the traffic crisis.
Dizon said that the Congress needs not to worry because the Duterte administration is transparent and will be free from corruption.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said that granting the emergency powers is for the good of the Filipino people.
He added that the government will be compliant to the executive order on the Freedom of Information signed by the President, should the Congress pass the emergency powers.
"The plight of the people could no longer wait. And that is why we need emergency powers," Dizon said. "[We] need emergency powers because we need to be able to fast track these projects and to make these projects a reality, soon, at the soonest possible time."
Tugade then asked the Senate to approve the emergency powers to expedite the completion and implementation of the government's infrastructure projects.
He also stressed that the administration would only need the emergency powers for only two years and not to the entire six years that the President will stay in office.
"There will be a delay. Is the population willing to wait some more? We are only asking for a window of two years; we are not asking for an emergency power for the next five years," Tugade said.
In September, the House of Representatives approved the emergency powers for Duterte to address the congestion problems in Metro Manila.
The Senate, otherwise, is still completing the emergency powers bill that is expected to be presented in plenary when it resumes session on November 7. Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III assured that the emergency powers will be granted to the President.
‘Seven more infra projects to be pushed through’
The Neda board, chaired by the President, passed in September nine infrastructure projects. Pernia said the nine projects already approved had already gone through the “eye of a needle.”
Pernia said the Neda board will once again hold a meeting to get seven more infrastructure projects approved.
In October, the Neda's Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee has recommended seven projects for the Neda Board to approve.
Earlier reports cited that the seven infrastructure projects were:
- the expansion of the Philippine Rural Development project
- the New Cebu International Container Port Project
- scaling-up of the Second Cordillera Highlands Agricultural Resources Management Project
- the Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project Stage 2
-Chico River Pump Irrigation Project
- the Plaridel Bypass Toll Road Project, and
- the Metro Manila Road widening project from Quezon City to Valenzuela City
Pernia said the seven new projects would cost roughly about P200 billion. He said that by year-end, all infrastructure projects will be ready for implementation.
Biggest infra program to be launched
To spur the country's economic growth, the Duterte administration is set to launch the “biggest” infrastructure program.
Tugade said “game-changing solutions” that will provide better transport are the Metro Manila Clark Railway (one-hour travel from Metro Manila to Clark International Airport); the Metro Manila Bus Rapid Train System (one-time trips along Edsa); and the Mindanao Railway (providing much-needed connection of people and goods across Mindanao).
For Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, the Department of Public Works and Highway will push for Santa Monica-Lawton-BGC Viaduct (linking BGC going to Ortigas); the UP-Miriam-Ateneo Viaduct (reduce travel time by 80 percent in Katipunan Avenue at CP Garcia); and the Nlex-Slex Road (reduce travel time to 30 minutes foing to Alabang from Balintawak).
Dizon said the BCDA will pursue “big-ticket” projects in Central Luzon and Metro Manila, including the Clark International Airport New Terminal Building, the establishment of 9,350-hectare city proximate to Metro Manila, and the BGC to Naia Bus Rapid Transit. (Sunnex)
