Rename Macapagal Highway to Highway Robbery

Last week, a director of the controversial Public Estates Authority (PEA) resigned as President Arroyo ordered the whole board to go on leave while the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) investigates the alleged P600 million overpricing of the Pres. Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard. Last Tuesday, 15 civil society groups joined Sulpicio Tagud, Jr., who exposed the said anomaly in filing criminal charges against the PEA officials allegedly responsible for the overprice. Among those who became signatories to the impeachment complaint were PlunderWatch, Citizens’ National Network Against Poverty and Corruption, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), Council on Philippine Affairs, Kairos Philippines, Gabriela, Anakbayan and E-Just.

How times have changed! There was a time when so-called government grafters were being charged for overpricing by ten percent. The standard name for them was "ten-percenters". Now, if reports are accurate, overcharging in government contracts go as high as 60 percent! The only way to put a stop to this is to give those charged their day in court. They don’t have to prove their innocence. It is up to government prosecutors to establish their guilt. It should not be difficult to establish whether a highway has indeed been grossly overpriced.

Any government needs credibility in order to succeed. And credibility cannot be attained without transparency. It will be sad indeed if it is established that a highway or boulevard named after President Diosdado Macapagal was indeed grossly overpriced. In that event, we suggest that the name of said highway be changed. Why associate the name of a great president to a highway associated with graft and corruption? President Diosdado Macapagal was the very last great president. During his term, we were the second most progressive nation in Asia, next only to Japan. After his successor declared martial law, we became the second poorest Asian country. It will be an insult to name a scandalously overpriced road in his honor. Let us associate his memory with successful visionary projects.

The most important thing about the so-called Macapagal Highway is the determination if it was indeed grossly overpriced. If so, those responsible should be placed behind bars.