Senate Presisent Pro Tempore Ralph Recto aired Thursday his support to Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno’s call to exempt infrastructure projects from the election period ban as it further stalled the already-delayed government projects.
In fact, Recto said, he authored a provision in the Senate version of the 2019 national budget which states that: “Notwithstanding the provisions of any law to the contrary, infrastructure projects funded under this Act shall be exempt from the prohibitions against release, disbursement or expenditure of public funds and against construction of public works and delivery of materials for public works.”
He said the majority of the infrastructure projects were already behind schedule.
“Instead of alleviating the delay, we aggravate it by suspending work simply on account that it is the season for candidates to shake hands and kiss babies,” said Recto.
“How can a beneficial enterprise that is the construction of schools and hospitals be placed in the same category as the carrying of firearms and other prohibited activities?” he asked.
He stressed that both people and progress would lose if the building of facilities that they need would be stopped during the campaign period, more so if the latter coincided with summer—which is the best time, weather-wise, for construction.
“We should take advantage of this so-called good weather window before the typhoon season kicks in,” he said.
“That this forced work interruption happens every 36 months speaks of how elections delay the delivery of vital projects. We should be working on projects round the clock. But we stop the clock during the elections,” he added.
At present, the Senate leader said election laws allowed work on projects to continue provided these commenced before the start of the campaign period, provided no funds were disbursed when the ban was in effect.
Also, during the period of 45 days before election, he said the delivery of materials for public works was prohibited, except on exempt projects like those built with foreign assistance.
The effect is that it is almost impossible to roll out projects one and a half months before the elections.
And even when projects qualify for the exemption, government employees would rather err on the side of caution, fearful of being haled to court, which is a possibility in a highly-charged political atmosphere.
With the delay in the enactment of 2019 national budget, he also said the above exemption provision is needed for the government to catch up with its “Build, Build, Build” timetable.
