Rebuilding the Nation

Rebuilding the Nation

by Edcel Molina

"The way to rebuild a bridge is not to throw stones but to reset the foundation."

According to the World Economic Forum (WEF) as per published by CNN Philippines, Philippine infrastructure ranks 97^th out of the 137 countries. And for the past years and administrations, there are blockages to the growth pattern of the Philippines. One of these blockages is the country’s poor infrastructures. As showed by the Global Finance, Philippines ranked 69^th out of 189 countries in terms of the income from Gross Domestic Product (GDP) based on Purchasing-Power-Parity (PPP) per capita. With the statistics mentioned above, it already became a proof and basis of how poor infrastructure in the country has dragged the Philippine economy down.

The ambitious “Build, Build, Build” project of the current President Rodrigo Duterte seems to be a promising solution to the problem of poor infrastructures in the country. Along with the ambitious project, the administration also seeks to set and transform the Philippines’ economy into a higher rate.

This ambitious project or program became the highest budget allocation for infrastructure in Philippine history. The Philippine government will spend around P8.4 trillion or around US$160-200 billion for this program, which aims to facilitate flow of capital, goods, and people nationwide as elaborated by Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo on her article published by the Manila Bulletin.

In this program, there will be 75 flagship projects, called the “game-changing” projects that the administration aims to begin and complete before 2022. These are infrastructure and social projects necessary to boost economic activity especially in the provinces, generate jobs, and, ultimately, lift many in the rural areas from poverty. These flagship projects include six airports, nine railways, three bus rapid transits, 32 roads and bridges, and four seaports proposed and according to the Philippine Department of Finance (DOF) chief economist Karl Chua, these projects may help to bring down the costs of production, improve rural incomes, encourage countryside investments, make the movement of goods and people more efficient, and create more jobs for the unemployed.

Furthermore, the government is also aiming to propose to construct four energy facilities for a stable power supply at lower prices; ten water resource projects as well as irrigation systems that will raise agricultural output; five flood control facilities that will help protect all types of communities as well as boost their strength against the impact of climate change; and three redevelopment programs that will deliver sustainable solutions to best meet the needs of urban population.

For this project to be successful, good foundation to each infrastructure must be monitored along with the materials that will be used that are obviously provided by the constructors chosen by the government and other agencies involved. Budget must be allotted and distributed to every project carefully to ensure good quality projects that will fulfill the visions and goals of this program.

The “Build, Build, Build” program of the president may result to a “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs” portal, where workers can apply for job opportunities within this sector. The creation of job portals is made to help Filipinos be free from the chains of poverty, and in turn, contribute to the growth of the Philippine economy and may serve as a proof for the World Bank statement - the Philippine economy’s medium-term growth remains positive to this program. For their 2018 report states that “the Philippine economy is projected to continue on its expansionary path and grow at an annual rate of 6.7 percent in both 2018 and 2019. In 2020, growth is expected to level at 6.6 percent.”

And from the beliefs of Richard Javad Heydarian, a Manila-based academic, policy adviser and columnist, if this program is considered successful, President Duterte could once and for all terminate the Southeast Asian country’s reputation as the “sick man of Asia”–and be the pilot of an extraordinary era of inclusive economic development and this might be his legacy that will be a notable part of the Philippine history.

       The president, the government and all of those who are part of this project are optimistic on the results of this “Build, Build, Build” project, that this project will bring satisfaction to the seekers of a developed and improved Philippines and for those who are job seekers as well. The government are hopeful that there will be no complications throughout the process of the project and until the infrastructures are fully made.