JV Ejercito vows to prioritize continuity of PH’s major infrastructure projects
September 22, 2023
Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito vowed to
prioritize the continuity of the major infrastructure programs in the country, regardless
of changes in the government's leadership.
Speaking at the Stratbase Forum on
Revitalizing Infrastructure Development in the Philippines through
Public-Private Partnerships held in Makati on Friday, Sept. 22 Ejercito
stressed the importance of establishing a clear roadmap that transcends
presidential administrations.
As a staunch advocate of infrastructure
development, Ejercito is pushing for the creation and institutionalization of a
comprehensive masterplan for infrastructure development to achieve a higher
economic growth trajectory.
The masterplan will serve as a blueprint for
the different departments of the government in the construction, upgrading, and
improvement of the infrastructure projects all over the country.
The said plan, which will be drafted by the
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and monitored by a Joint
Congressional Oversight Committee, would cover several areas of development:
transportation and logistics, energy, water resources, information and
communications technology, social infrastructure, agri-fisheries modernization
and food logistics, and asset preservation and maintenance strategies.
In the latest available Global Competitiveness
Report, the Philippines ranked 102nd out of 141 countries in terms of transport
infrastructure. Among the Asian countries, the Philippines also received the
lowest rated railway service, ranking 86th out of 101 countries.
Assessing foreign direct investments, Ejercito
said the country has fallen behind in terms of infrastructure development, with
countries like Vietnam overtaking the Philippines.
He attributed this decline to two key factors:
the high cost of energy and the inadequate infrastructure development.
"Most officials, even the national
officials, are only concerned of the short-term, medium-term. Nakalimutan po natin 'yung long-term
planning. That's probably the reason why comparing us to the ASEAN neighbors, we are already lagging behind in terms of
infrastructure development," he said.
Meanwhile, Senate Bill No. 2233, also known as
the Public-Private Partnership Act, authored and sponsored by Ejercito, has
recently advanced to the third reading after passing the second reading. It is
scheduled for bicameral discussion on Tuesday, Sept. 26.
The said measure will also address the
country’s worsening infrastructure backlogs, generate new opportunities for
workers and the private sector, and eradicate poverty in the process.
The lawmaker from San Juan expressed optimism
that the bill would be ratified on Wednesday, Sept. 27. "So, before we go
on break, the PPP Act would already be adopted."
Under the proposed bill, Ejercito emphasized
the significant reforms introduced in the PPP framework, drawing from both
positive and negative experiences since the enactment of the
Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) law in the 1990s.
He highlighted that these reforms are intended
to inspire confidence in potential project proponents and to ensure that the
government and implementing agencies can select the most advantageous options.
"We
will make sure that the government and the implementing agencies will have a
hand in producing the best option possible," he said.
