MANILA, Philippines — The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has prompted the government to prioritize health infrastructure projects as it reviews the “Build, Build, Build” program.
Presidential Adviser for Flagship Programs and Projects and deputy chief implementer of the government’s COVID-19 response Vince Dizon said projects with “bigger” impact will be prioritized.
“Kailangan natin dagdagan ang mga proyekto para palakasin ang ating healthcare infrastructure,” Dizon said during the Laging Handa briefing.
(We need to add projects that will strengthen our health infrastructure.)
“Malalaman natin sa ilang araw kung ano ang magiging priority natin, kung ano ang kailangang pabilisin at kung ano ang kailangang palitan lalo ngayong dinadaanan natin ang problema sa COVID-19,” he added.
(We will know in the coming days which projects will be prioritized and hastened as we face the COVID-19 problem.)
The government earlier allowed the resumption of work in rail projects nationwide, provided that a skeleton workforce is used.
The DPWH earlier assured that the health crisis will have a “minimal” impact on the Duterte administration’s infrastructure program even as parts of the country were placed on lockdown to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
To date, the country has 10,434 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 685 deaths, and 1,618 recoveries.