Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 23) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to complete the construction of infrastructure projects on time and within the allocated budget, saying the “golden age of infrastructure” would “continue” under his administration.
“Napakarami tayong proyekto na gagawin ngayon,” Marcos said in his speech during the DPWH’s 125th anniversary on Thursday. “‘Wag natin patapusin ang golden age of infrastructure, ipagpatuloy natin ngayon dahil kailangan na kailangan ng ating kababayan.”
[Translation: We have a lot of projects to do now. Let’s not end the golden age of infrastructure, let’s continue it because our countrymen need it.]
Former President Rodrigo Duterte previously promised a “golden age of infrastructure,” but Marcos boasted about the infrastructure projects completed under the regime of his father, Ferdinand E. Marcos — and which their supporters believe signify the golden age.
Meanwhile, under his term, the policy-making National Economic and Development Authority Board, which Marcos heads, green-lit a total of 194 priority infrastructure projects worth about ₱9 trillion.
NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan previously said 123 of these projects are “new and initiated” by the Marcos administration.
READ: NEDA Board OKs ₱9-T infra projects
“It continues to be my hope that everyone in the DPWH will remain steadfast in its mandate as well as stay committed to fulfilling this administration’s eight-point socioeconomic agenda, by committing to construct and finish critical infra projects on time, on schedule, and under budget,” he said.
“In line with this, I urge you to continue streamlining your procedures, preventing delays and cause overruns, and enforcing transparency measures in all government projects and transactions,” Marcos added.
The president said the flagship projects must last “for three generations after us.”
“It has to physically survive that kind of time period,” he added.
