Palace: Grace Poe wrong on rush infra ‘patchwork’

Malacañang Thursday said that it was not accurate to say that government road projects were just “patchwork,” in answer to Sen. Grace Poe’s accusation that the Aquino administration was rushing road repairs and other last-minute projects, describing them as mere “band-aid solutions”.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. advised critics,  without naming Poe, to “look at the big picture,” stressing that all government infrastructure projects are part of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP).

Infra takes time

“Major infrastructure projects require a period of gestation and preparation, especially in terms of preparing detailed technical feasibility studies. We will understand that foreign investors that participate in these projects are investing millions of dollars and would not do so absent comprehensive feasibility studies, which take some time to complete,” Coloma said.

He said anyone was free to check the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) website for the PDP results matrix.

The PDP Revalidated Results Matrices track down the outcomes and achievements of every project under the PDP.

A check by the Inquirer showed that the Neda website has the updated, 77-page PDP result matrices as of 2014. The 2015 update appears still unavailable.

Updated matrix

The results matrices include decrease in travel time on major thoroughfares in Metro Manila, decrease in transfer time in minutes on the MRT and LRT, and the installation of electricity and water system in sitios, among others.

“There is an updated results matrix that depicts what programs have been completely fulfilled; what are in the process of completion; what is the likelihood that they will be completed by June 30,” Coloma said.

He emphasized that “nation building involves long-term, medium-term and short-term projects.”

“And long-term projects that go beyond the term of a single administration need to be pursued even if this would not be completed within six years. It is our duty to the nation to make long-term decisions that will benefit the entire citizenry,” Coloma said. Nikko Dizon