Palace: Economic team moving to exempt big infra projects from poll ban

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Thursday assured that the administration’s economic managers are moving to exempt big-ticket infrastructure projects from the election ban to minimize delays.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic team has petitioned the Commission on Election (Comelec) to exempt infrastructure projects of “national significance” from the spending ban, but the poll body asked for additional documents before it decides on their request for exemption.

The ban on public works spending takes effect from March 29 to May 12.

“Concerned agencies are now actively coordinating in order to submit the proper and complete documents for such purpose, as required of them by the Comelec,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

Panelo noted that “delays are indeed possible and they are inevitable at times, given the practical dynamics and legal dictates of our country, but these can be avoided or minimized with proper due diligence by those responsible therefor.”

“As we have said, our economic managers have anticipated all possible scenarios and are ready to adapt to permit our infrastructure programs to move forward,” he said.

“After all, a little delay is much better than no major infrastructure project at all — like what happened in the previous administration,” he added. /ee

READ: Election ban on public works