Mark Villar pushes for bill continuing Duterte’s Build, Build, Build program

To sustain the momentum of the "Golden Age of Infrastructure," Senator Mark Villar has filed a bill seeking to institutionalize the Build, Build, Build program by laying down a 30-year plan for the government's priority projects.

In a statement, the former secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said the proposed Build, Build, Build Act is in line with his campaign promise to ensure continuity of the infrastructure projects which will also improve the lives of the Filipinos amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Villar, the measure specifies policies and strategies to be pursued by the government in identifying the initial core infrastructure projects that will be given priority.

The measure, filed on July 7, likewise covers the modalities for the construction and the financing of the projects.

Villar also said the proposed Build, Build, Build Act determines the role of the implementing agencies in the development of essential transport, energy, water resources, information and communications technology, social infrastructure system, and other basic facilities in the country.

He expressed confidence that the passage of the bill will encourage more investors, create more jobs, boost economic growth, and will improve the quality of life of Filipinos residing in the urban and rural areas.

“In the past six years, the Filipino people have seen and experienced the impact of the Philippines’ Golden Age of Infrastructure. The Build, Build, Build program of the government resulted in the creation of hundreds of ports, thousands of roads and bridges, and millions of jobs," he said.

"As the country welcomes a new administration, it is important to keep the momentum going by uniting behind this advocacy and bringing it to new heights not only for us but also for the generations to come,” he added.

The implementation of the Build, Build, Build program, the flagship infrastructure program of former President Rodrigo Duterte, was led by Villar who was then serving as DPWH secretary. — RSJ, GMA News