Drilon: 'Build, Build, Build' is a dismal failure

Senate Minority Speaker Franklin Drilon said, "Sad to say, the Build, Build, Build program of this
administration is a dismal failure... We have only two and a half years left of this administration.
I don’t think any substantial progress insofar as that program is concerned will be achieved. The
execution is simply dismal."

Data from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) showed only nine out of
75, or two percent of the projects under Build, Build, Build have commenced three years into the
term of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Among those started are the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge in Pasig, the Binondo-Intramuros bridge,
three road projects in Clark, and the Clark Airport.

Drilon added the failure of the Build, Build, Build program is reflective of the kind of economic
relationship the Philippines has with China.

"What I recall is that the 75 projects would be part of the economic relationship between China
and the Philippines. Apparently that aspect of relation between the two countries is a total failure,"
he said.

The Palace has called out Drilon for his statements, saying the senator's claim is baseless.

"Senator Frank, look at the administration you previously belonged. Six years, not a single
infrastructure na nagawa. Malayong-malayo sa dami [There are so many]," said Presidential
Spokesperson Salvador Panelo in a briefing Tuesday.

During the start of the plenary debates on the 2020 budget in the upper house, Senate Finance
Committee chairman Senator Sonny Angara said the administration is scrapping some of its
flagship projects in its Build, Build, Build program to be replaced by more doable ones.

Angara says the government found that some projects can no longer be implemented because of
technical, financial, and economic non-viability.

"NEDA has been issuing and Secretary (Ernesto) Pernia has been mentioning they will revise the
75, kasi nakita nila na hindi talaga mairoll out yung iba so nirerevise nila to more doable or shovel
ready project. We’ve been waiting for that list," he said.

Angara pointed out that only some of the flagship programs will not be rolled out, adding the
government is still looking to complete a total of 43 projects by 2022.

Meanwhile, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar denied Drilon's claim, saying Build, Build, Build
cannot be called a failure because even if the list of projects was revised, the new list includes
projects that are under construction.

"I think they’re using the old list that we first used prior to all the technical studies. Now the new
list, with all the studies we’ve done, many of these projects, some have been finished. Some are in
advanced stage of construction. But if you look at the majority, most of them are already under
construction so make no mistake, in any metric that you use, the build build build is not a failure,"
he said.

Recently, Presidential Adviser for Flagship Programs and Projects Vince Dizon said a revised
Build, Build, Build list was approved by NEDA's Investment Coordination Committee.

The revised Build, Build, Build list now has 100 projects instead of 75, but a copy has yet to be
released as of this writing.

The new pipeline would now only cost ₱4.2 trillion even if more projects have been added.
Previously, the government said it will spend ₱8 trillion on infrastructure projects until 2022.
What is Build Build Build Program?

The Build! Build! Build! (BBB) Program is the centerpiece program of the Duterte
administration that aims to usher the “Golden age of infrastructure” in the Philippines. Lack of
infrastructure has long been cited as the “Achilles’ heel” of Philippine economic development.
The BBB Program seeks to accelerate public infrastructure expenditure from an average of 2.9
percent of gross domestic product (GDP) during the Aquino regime to about 7.3 percent at the end
of the Duterte administration. This will cost around P8 trillion to P9 trillion from 2016 to 2022 to
address the huge infrastructure backlog in the country.
Completed Projects:
 Improvement of remaining sections along Pasig River from Delpan Bridge to Napindan
Channel
 Pulangi 4 Selective Dredging Phase 3
Ongoing Construction:
 Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge
 Binondo-Intramuros Bridge
 Clark International Airport Expansion Project - A. Engineering, Procurement and
ConstructionB. O&M Concession
 Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project, Phase II
 Chico River Pump Irrigation Project
 Bonifacio Global City to Ortigas Center Road Link Project , Phase I, IIA & IIB
 Clark Green City Mixed-Income Housing (a component of National Government
Administrative Center)
 Clark Green City Government Center (a component of National Government
Administrative Center) The National Government Center will host Satellite Offices of all
branches of the Philippine Government; the Executive

Does the Build Build Build Program a dismal failure?

Im quite happy with the build build build program. The program gives a huge impact for
the future economic growth of the Philippines and also giving a sustainable job for my fellow
countrymen. As for my research and observation the amount of the projects or the scale of the
projects are about to be completed. In 2018 the Government dispurse Php580 Billion worth of
Project, the government built 9,000 kilometer roads, more than 2700 bridges, more than 4,000
flood control structures, 120,000 school buildings. Definitely it’s not a dismal failure for me in
fact what has been accomplished so far has been never been accomplished at any period of time.
However, according to the data from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)
9 out of 75 projects or two percent of the projects under build build build have been commenced
in three years into the term of President Rodrigo Duterte,
What would might be the reason why the build build build program’s project
implementations are just kind of slow? The reasons why these projects have not advance beyond
their stages of development are far ranging from ongoing due diligence, to missing requirements
form either government or official development partners, the various levels of missing or delayed
approvals and some are pending with concerns.