Press Release
October 29, 2015

Senator Marcos: What's delaying the foreign-assisted infrastructure projects?

SENATOR Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. has questioned the delays in the construction of foreign-assisted infrastructure projects like bridges, roads, irrigation systems, flood risk management, and other big ticket projects, which could have already jumpstarted economic growth had they been completed on time.

This developed as Marcos, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Works, filed on Wednesday Senate Resolution No.1627 calling for a Senate inquiry into the status of foreign-assisted projects involving infrastructures.

"There are reports that a number of these foreign-assisted infrastructure projects have incurred delays in their completion and implementation due to technical and administrative problems," he said.

Assisting the Philippines in implementing the projects are the World Bank-International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (WB-IBRD), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Korea Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and United States Agency for International Development (USAID); and countries like Australia, Austria, France, Spain, China, Saudi Arabia.

For 2015, the Department of Public Works and Highways has a total allocation of P23 billion as counterpart capital outlay for foreign-assisted projects.

"It is crucial to scrutinize the cause of the setback in the execution of these foreign-assisted ventures and address the issue forthwith in order to foster transparency and accountability in these undertakings," Marcos said.

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