House panel vows to support Duterte admin’s infra program

The appropriations committee in the House of Representatives vowed to support President Rodrigo Duterte’s ambitious infrastructure program called “Dutertenomics.”

In a statement on Tuesday, Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles said his committee, which is set to deliberate on the proposed 2018 budget, would make sure to support the administration’s P3.6 trillion three-year rolling infrastructure program (TRIP) — P1.13 trillion for 2018, P1.18 trillion for 2019 and P1.29 trillion for 2020.

Nograles said his committee would make sure the administration would be well-equipped to take on the “Build! Build! Build!” program to build enough infrastructure in neglected provinces in the country.

READ: Duterte approves P3.767 trillion nat’l budget for 2018

Nograles said he hoped the President would discuss his administration’s infrastructure program in his second State of the Nation Address (Sona).

“To hasten national economic development, we have to build and modernize the needed infrastructures nationwide. We anticipate that the President, in his State of the Nation Address, will spell out his crucial public infra-building program that will boost the country’s economy,” Nograles said.

“The logic of Dutertenomics is simple and practical. If we modernize our infrastructure, we will modernize the economy down to the farthest municipality. And everything else will follow,” he added.

Nograles said it is about time the administration focus on allocating enough budget for infrastructure.

“We cannot waste time. The time to build critical infrastructures, like railways, bridges, expressways, subways, and other infrastructures is now,” Nograles said.

Nograles also said that his committee would focus on the “Build, Build, Build” program since it would bring long-term benefits especially on health care, education, job and investment generation, poverty alleviation and even peace and order.

“A balanced economic development will help deny the enemies of government reasons for their rebellion,” Nograles said. With Celine Amilhamja, INQUIRER.net trainee/JE/rga