Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, during one of the joint hearings in the Senate. Screengrab / Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines — If the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) insists on using President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s initials for their infrastructure mantra, Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel asked why they did not opt for “FM” for “Finish More.”
In an apparent jab at the DPWH’s slow pace in completing projects, Pimentel on Thursday questioned Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan on the rationale behind Build Better More — the department’s maxim that uses the initials of the President, or BBM for Bongbong Marcos.
During the agency’s budget deliberations before the Senate finance subcommittee, Pimentel said that DPWH should focus on finishing the existing projects first.
“Instead of ito ngang Build Better More which are the initials of our President, pwede naman nating gamitin ‘FM’ eh initial din naman niya ‘yan, pero ang meaning ng FM para sakin ‘Finish More.’ So sa mga Build Build Build (BBB) ano pa ba […] as far as DPWH (is concerned) kasi ano yung mga Build Build Build projects na big ticket na tapusin po natin pero sana tapusin na lang natin,”
(Instead of this Build Better More which are the initials of our President, maybe we can use ‘FM’ since it’s also his initials, but for me the meaning of FM is ‘Finish More’. So for the Build Build Build projects, what are the remaining items as far as DPWH is concerned, we need to know what are the big ticket that the department has to finish.)
“I mean we should not make a lack of funding or scarce resources as the excuse na mandelay itong BBB, kaya FM tayo, Finish More. Ayos naman sir, chairman, FM din ‘yon still initial of the President,” he told finance committee chair Senator Sonny Angara.
(I mean we should not make a lack of funding or scarce resources as the excuse that the BBB projects are being delayed, so we should go for FM, Finish More. It jives, doesn’t it, sir, chairman? FM are still the initials of the President.)
In response, Bonoan said that he agrees with Pimentel, saying that President Marcos himself told him to finish all pending infrastructure projects.
“Yes sir, I agree, Mr. Chairman I think one of the matching orders that we have received from the President is to expedite the completion of ongoing projects at the earliest possible time, so that this can be made usable for the economic recovery of the country,” Bonoan said.
“Well he specifically mentioned to me that you have to complete all ongoing projects,” he added.
In terms of the big ticket projects left by the past administrations, Bonoan mentioned the Panguil Bay Bridge in Mindanao and the Central Luzon Link Expressway, which has been opened to the public but still has unfinished portions.
Pimentel asked Bonoan to submit the list to the Senate so they could have an idea of what projects are still pending.
Furthermore, the Senator also asked the Department of Budget and Management to coordinate with DPWH so that unfinished projects would be completed, and to avoid commitment fees — or penalties for late projects.
“Kasi parang teamwork eh, ang coach ninyo si Presidente. So sabihin niya kunyari, this is a make believe scenario, sabi niya FM tayo, okay, finish more. So ang instruction niya sayo well-planned. Si DBM should also know na ito yung kailangan,” Pimentel said.
(This should be teamwork, wherein the President is your coach. So for example, this is a make-believe scenario, he says that we go FM, and finish more. So the instruction to you would be to complete well-planned projects. DBM should also know what you need.)
Marcos’ predecessor, former president Rodrigo Duterte, embarked on an ambitious infrastructure project — the Build, Build, Build — which saw the construction of several roads, bridges, and other facilities.
However, Duterte’s six years in office appeared short of finishing all projects. The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said last December 2021 that only 18 of 112 BBB projects had been completed — including the four projects that would be finished within 2022.
READ: Neda: 18 of 112 Build, Build, Build projects done by time Duterte gone
READ: Targets missed in Duterte’s ‘Build, Build, Build’: What’s next?
After being elected president, Marcos assured the public that the BBB would continue, noting that the economy heavily relies on infrastructure projects. With reports from Trisha Manalaysay, INQUIRER.net trainee
READ: Bongbong Marcos to continue Duterte’s infrastructure program