Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 27) – Two lawmakers from the House of Representatives are calling on the national government to boost spending for infrastructure projects instead of slashing the funding despite the pandemic crisis.
This was after House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano slammed the Department of Budget Management’s circular which would stop the release of funds for certain infrastructure projects.
“Ang sabi ng economic team under [Carlos] Dominguez tsaka si Sec. Vince Dizon, ipa-pump prime ang economy through infrastructure. Pero sa circular, binabawasan niya ng 35 percent ang capital outlay,” said Deputy Speaker LRay Villafuerte.
[Translation: The economic team under [Carlos] Dominguez and Vince Dizon, the infrastructure will pump prime the economy. But the circular orders the slashing of 35% from the capital outlay.]
Villafuerte said the government should enhance instead its flagship infrastructure program, “Build, Build, Build” and include the construction of more facilities for health and agriculture.
“Kailangang i-enhance natin ang ‘Build Build Build.’ Pero magfo-focus tayo sa areas ng health, gawa tayo ng mga rural health units, ospital, then agriculture,” he said.
[Translation: We need to enhance the ‘Build, Build, Build.’ But we will focus on the areas of health, wherein we can build rural health units, hospitals, then agriculture.]
For his part, House Ways and Means Committee chairperson Joey Salceda said that projects which are of high economic value, can generate jobs, and can be finished within the term of President Rodrigo Duterte must continue.
“We estimate that every P200 billion in infrastructure can create up to 463,000 jobs in the year it is spent. Conversely, since the government is now the sole driving force of demand, a P200 billion cut in infra will [lose] 463,000 jobs,” said Salceda.
Salceda also said that the crisis should be a “stress test” on the infrastructure vulnerabilities of the country.
“We should assess where public medical facilities were unable to meet the full demands of Covid-19, and how these hospitals can be improved,” he said.
CNN Philippines’ Correspondent Xianne Arcangel and Multi-Platform News Writer Vince Ferreras contributed to this report
