Senatorial aspirant Mark Villar has vowed to pursue the “Build, Build, Build” (BBB) program initiated by the Duterte administration as he noted the substantial gains it has achieved in generating at least 6.5 million jobs for Filipinos.
In a guest appearance on the online show “Sara All For You”, Villar also noted that the BBB program was also able to build over 30,000 kilometers of roads since it was launched in 2017.
Villar, one of the senatorial bets endorsed by program host Mayor Sara Duterte, oversaw the successful implementation of BBB as secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways.
The BBB is the centerpiece program of the President Rodrigo R. Duterte administration that aims to usher the “Golden age of infrastructure” in the Philippines – deserves continuity with focus on more large-scale infrastructure projects around the country.
“Gusto ko pong i-promote at i-push ang "Build, Build, Build" program na sinimulan ni President Rodrigo Duterte dahil nakita ko po ‘yung benepisyo para sa ating lahat, hindi lang po sa roads. I want to promote and push the BBB program that as started by Presidnt Duterte because of benefits it has given for all, not only about roads).” he said.
The former Las Piñas congressman was appointed head of the DPW in 2016. He spearheaded the construction and rehabilitation of major highways, farm-to-market roads, bridges, bypasses or diversion roads, among others that lead to economic zones and declared tourism destinations.
Among the 100 flagship projects of DPWH as a subset of the BBB program are the Luzon Spine Express Network, South Luzon Express Way Toll Way 4, Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3, Metro Cebu Expressway, NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10, the Cavite Laguna Expressway, Tarlac Pangasinan La Union Expressway, the Laguna Lake Highway, the Candon City Bypass Road in Ilocos Sur, Pulilan-Baliuag Diversion Road in Bulacan, Calapan-Roxas Road in Oriental Mindoro, the Mandaue Causeway Road in Cebu, Dipolog-Oriquieta Road in Misamis Occidental, Dumaguete North Road in Negros Oriental, and the Taytay-El Nido Road in Palawan, and Davao Coastal Road in Davao City.
He added that he will take the "Build, Build, Build" program to the legislative branch because the constant expansion of infrastructure had resulted in tremendous job creation across the country and had a great impact on Filipinos.
“Importante po na i-push natin sa legislative branch ang ‘Build, Build, Build’ program kasi ito rin po ang aangat sa ekonomiya natin. Ito rin ang makapagbibigay ng trabaho na kailangan natin ngayon dahil sa pandemya na malakas ang tama sa ating mga kababayan. (It is important to push the BBB before the legislative branch because it ensures economic progress. It is also expected to bring needed jobs because of the effects of the pandemic to our countrymen).” said Villar, a UniTeam senatorial candidate.
The BBB program is composed of thousands of projects meant to improve connectivity, facilitate growth in every province across the country and accelerate public infrastructure expenditure from an average of 2.9 percent of gross domestic product.