Monday, September 22, 2008 Lawmaker questions infra budget increase
A CONGRESSMAN has questioned President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's proposal to increase next year's budget for infrastructure by P30 billion, saying the money could end up in the pockets of administration officials who are already preparing for their exit in 2010.
Nueva Ecija Representative Edno Joson said while the money could be used to fund the electoral campaign of administration allies in the 2010 national elections, he believes a substantial part of it would only line the pockets officials.
"All those might be ghost projects and we are not only talking about elections but also the last two minutes of the Arroyo administration," he said.
In her annual budget message to Congress, Arroyo asked for a P147.5-billion infrastructure "war chest" for 2009, an amount 20 percent bigger than this year's P122.2 billion budget.
The President said the bulk of the infrastructure funds or roughly P83.9 billion will again be used to build and maintain roads and bridges.
"For investments to come in, investors' access through infrastructure development must be sustained and intensified," she said.
The entire allocation for infrastructure outlays is distributed among the departments of Public Works and Highways, Agriculture, Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and others.
The new budget proposal boosts the allocation for social services to 30.7 percent of the whole budget pie while economic services eat up 25.5 percent.
Malacañang has also increased the share of economic services from P299 billion to P361.4 billion next year while the allocation for social services is increased from P377.5 billion to P434 billion.
Under the P120.0 billion budget of DPWH for 2009, the President intends to construct, repair and rehabilitation of 70,607 kilometers of national roads costing P82.0 billion and replace, make stronger, and construct 7,674 lineal meters of existing and new bridges amounting to about P11.7 billion.
Arroyo said some P1.9 billion under the Arterial Road Links Development Project (Phase V and VI) will be used to improve and reconstruct roads covering the provinces of Northern Samar, Western Samar and Leyte via the Catarman-Calbayog and Allen-Calbayog-Calbiga roads and Agas-agas Bridge along Tacloban-Liloan Road Section.
For the National Roads Improvement and Management Program (Phase 2), about P7.0 billion will fund the improvement and widening of national roads and bridges.
The President also said this will be complemented by the P1.9-billion Road Enhancement and Asset Preservation Management Program (REAPMP), "which aims to improve, preserve and manage our national road system."
She noted other projects which include, among others, the P2.5-billion Tulay ng Pangulo sa Kaunlaran Projects (Phase I) to install several two-lane fly-overs, long-span bridges, and compact bridges along congested national highways in urban centers, and the Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH); and the P2.2-billion Mega Bridges for Urban and Rural Development Projects to start the construction, installation and establishment of several girder-type flyovers and "universal bridges" or national bridges along the country's congested highways and road networks.
"These major roads and bridges to be constructed and restored are vital to the community. They serve as arteries for transporting people and goods," said Arroyo.
Of the amount allotted for roads and bridges, 38.6 percent, or P8.8 billion -- the biggest share -- goes to Mindanao, with Central Luzon getting 31.1 percent or P7.1 billion; North Luzon AgriBusiness Quadrangle, 22.5 percent or P5.1 billion; and Luzon Urban Beltway, 7.8 percent or P1.8 billion.
Specific projects include, among others, the 280.65-km El Nido-Bataraza Road worth P4.3 billion; the 392.73-km Surigao-Davao Coastal Road, P2.6 billion; the 120-km Baler-Aurora-Casiguran Road, P1.7 billion; and the 106.91-km Tarlac-Nueva Ecija-Dingalan Port Road , P821.1 million.
Arroyo said she is giving the DOTC about P23.6 billion for 2009 to fulfill her State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) commitment "to provide the country with an efficient and well-integrated transport system."
The administration, she added, has built 39 Roro (roll-on, roll-off) ports and 12 more are slated to start within the next two years.
"In 2003, we inaugurated the Western Nautical Highway from Batangas through Mindoro, Panay and Negros to Mindanao. This year we launched the Central Nautical Highway from Bicol mainland, through Masbate, Cebu, Bohol and Camiguin to Mindanao mainland. These developments strengthen our competitiveness," she said.
"An integrated transport system -- by air, land, rail or sea -- ensures accessibility and the safe and affordable movement of people, goods and service," she added.
The President also noted that the rail projects under the DOTC budget include the closing of the LRT-MRT loop. (WV/Sunnex)
