Business

24/7 public infra construction eyed

July 5, 2016 | 10:25pm

MANILA, Philippines — Major infrastructure projects in Metro Manila would undergo 24/7 construction beginning this year to fast-track completion.

"This is so we could make all major roads and major projects in time," Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno told reporters in a briefing on Tuesday.

The plan, which is still being drafted, will include government and public-private partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects worth "anything beyond P10 million."

Diokno said a law is not needed to enact the plan which would complement the proposed emergency powers sought by the Duterte administration to tackle worsening traffic.

Public Works Secretary Mark Villar also said the plan is "doable."

"We want to fast-track all projects. Definitely, we will do our best," Villar told reporters on the sidelines of the economic managers' meeting.

"We also have to talk to the contractors to make the arrangements. But I'm sure we can do that this year," he added.

Although open to the proposal, Ibarra Paulino, executive director of Philippine Constructors Association, said the group still have to study it.

"There will be costs. It will expedite the projects, but of course, there will be additional costs in manpower, the noise it will create during night time," Paulino said in a phone interview.

"You also have to think about manpower," he added.

Currently, Paulino said round-the-clock construction happens only in "emergency cases" such as accidents. Diokno, on the other hand, stressed it is possible.

"There are machines that we could use to minimize the noise at night," he said.

'No magic wand'

Only a week after taking over, the Duterte administration has bared plans meant to fast-track infrastructure projects sorely lacking in the Philippines.

Emergency powers that would allow the possible skirting of procurement processes and open up private roads for traffic are also being proposed in the capital.

Unsolicited projects for PPPs would also get accepted from the private sector. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia also said bidding time would lessen.

"Currently, from the proposal of the project to its awarding, it takes an average time of 29 months. We want to cut it down by a third," Pernia said in the same briefing.

Budget for state infrastructure projects will also get a boost. From 3.3 percent of gross domestic product last year, Diokno said it could rise to as much as 5.2 percent in 2017.

In absolute terms, that would easily be worth more than P500 billion considering last year's P436 billion, according to budget data.

But economic managers were quick to tame expectations.

"Remember that we are playing a lot of catch up here. So I think we have to realize that while we are making more roads, fixing the roads, this would require all our cooperation," Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said.

"There is no magic wand here," he added.

Diokno said the public should anticipate some inconvenience, but added it would not be permanent.

"Things will get worse before they get better," he said.