Things will get worse, before they get better, says Diokno

As the Duterte administration starts rolling out massive infrastructure projects across the country, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno on Wednesday said the public must be forewarned that the traffic situation will go from bad to worse.

"Things will get worse, before they get better, because with all the construction that we will do, it will be like hell," Diokno said in his remarks during the Tax Reform Forum in Mandaluyong City.

"But rest assured that your government is acting urgently to address this situation," he noted.

The Duterte administration is pushing for a 24/7 construction activity to fast track key projects and spur infrastructure development and higher fiscal spending.

"The government promises to make daily commute safer and more comfortable for Filipinos. This is why highways, railways, subways, and bus rapid transit systems are in the pipeline," Diokno noted in his remarks on Wednesday.

"We want you to be doing productive work rather than wasting your precious time stuck in traffic. We want you to spend more time with your family rather than more time on the road," he said.

Apart from the worsening gridlock, the Budget chief reminded the public to bear with the noise generated by construction work.

"Pero ito 24/7 ito. And I assure you na sa Duterte administration walang maiiwang project na nakatiwangwang after 5 p.m., dahil 24/7 ang construction," Diokno said.

The government is allocating about P8.4 trillion to the "golden age of infrastructure," which includes some 30 big-ticket projects, over the next six years. — VDS/KVD, GMA News