DOTr ‘achieves’ 30-35% of Build, Build, Build projects, says Tugade

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has so far achieved around 30% of infrastructure projects under the "Build, Build, Build" program during the first three years of the Duterte administration, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said Tuesday.

"Ngayon siguro tumatakbo ako ng mga 30-35% pero siyempre meron tayong panahong magtapos," Tugade told reporters on the sidelines of the opening of the Segment 3A1 of C5 South Link Expressway project in Parañaque City.

"Isipin niyo na 'yung unang kataunan hindi naman puro konstruksyon kaagad 'yan eh... merong planning, feasibility [study], detailed engineering design, may mga approvals sa NEDA, which will take time," the Transportation chief said.

The Cabinet official made the remark after President Rodrigo Duterte lauded him and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar for their "hardwork" in implementing the "Build, Build, Build" program.

"Hard at work in the interconnection of our islands and cities by air, land, and sea are Secretaries Tugade and Villar," Duterte had said in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA).

In its accomplishment report, the DOTr said it has completed 61 airport projects, started construction of four railway projects, built and started operation of one landport, and completed 218 commercial and social tourism projects.

Among the completed airport projects were the Bohol-Panglao International Airport and Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

For railway projects, the DOTr has started the construction for PNR Clark Phase 1, LRT-1 Cavite Extension, Metro Manila Subway, MRT-7, and LRT-2 East Extension.

The DOTr also opened the country's first "landport," the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange. —LDF, GMA News