Duterte to Cabinet: Pursue projects that can be finished within my term

President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday instructed his Cabinet to implement projects that can be finished within his term.

Duterte’s six-year term will end in June 2022.

"Unfortunately though, two years na lang ako. Pero gawain ko. Sabi ko sa lahat ng secretary ng mga departamento, 'Do not go into projects which you cannot finish within the two-year time left for me in office,'"  Duterte said in a speech before farmers in Pigcawayan, Cotabato.

"Gusto ko, kagaya nung mayor ako. Lahat ng projects ko calibrated in the sense na pagdating ng panahon, pag-alis ko sa opisina malinis lahat. Ang mga sakyanan assigned sa akin, sinauli ko in order."

The government had earlier revised its “Build, Build, Build” list which now covers 100 projects. The administration initially had 75 flagship infrastructure projects, but scrapped several items due to feasibility issues.

The updated list covers flagship infrastructure projects under five categories, namely, transport and mobility, power, water, information and communications technology, and urban development and renewal.

Last November, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said the Build, Build, Build program is a "dismal failure" after learning that only nine of the 75 flagship programs have started construction.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo dismissed Drilon's claim as "baseless," saying that projects such as the MRT3 rehabilitation, Metro Manila subway, Subic-Clark railway, and Mindanao railway are at various stages of development.

Panelo also said 38 infrastructure projects are due to be completed by 2022, 22 partially operational or at substantial completion, and while 40 are to be completed beyond 2022, all projects will be started under Duterte’s time.

Albay Representative Joey Salceda had filed a bill aimed at giving Duterte special powers to speed up the implementation of the Build, Build, Build program but Malacañang did not endorse it.

The Palace considered the proposed measure belated and said it was no longer a priority of the President given that administration has less than three years left in office. —LDF, GMA News