CEBU CITY -- Former Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar insisted that the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program of the Duterte administration is a success.
Villar said if there were infra projects that were not implemented, it’s because the government went for the projects with “high rate of returns.”
Villar, who is running for senator in the coming May elections, made the comment in reaction to Senator Ping Lacson’s pronouncement in a recent presidential debate asking the Filipinos to discern whether or not the Build, Build, Build program is successful if only 12 out of the 118 projects were accomplished.
Villar explained that when he took over as chief of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), they made a list of infra projects and studied their feasibility.
“After doing an analysis, pinili lang namin ang projects na may mataas na rate of returns, mataas ang value sa ating mga kababayan, yung implementable, yung iba yung concept maganda pero di pa pwede i-implement dahil masyado mataas ang cost and at this point, wala pang technology na available (After doing an analysis, we chose the projects with high rate of returns, with high value for our countrymen, the ones that were implementable. Some had good concepts but cannot be implemented yet because the cost is so high and at this point, there’s no technology available),” said Villar, who visited Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia at the Capitol on Wednesday, March 22.
Villar said that the success of Build, Build, Build is very visible in Cebu following the construction of the Cordova-Cebu Link Expressway.
The Metro Cebu Expressway project has already started while the feasibility study for the construction of a fourth bridge that would connect Mactan Island and Cebu is already underway, said Villar.
Villar said that over the past five years, the Build, Build, Build program generated six million jobs.
Villar added that he is faring well in his campaign because of the success of Build, Build, Build.
“The success of BBB helps me in my campaign,” said Villar, who landed in the top 12 in recent senatorial surveys.
If elected as senator, Villar vowed to continue the success of Build, Build, Build
“When it comes to infra projects, it’s a long term. It’s important that there will be continuity, that's why I am running for senator,” Villar said.
Villar revealed that in his meeting with Garcia, they talked about what help he could provide to boost Cebu’s infrastructure development.
“We talked about projects in Cebu, I want to be of help. I want to know how to help Cebu, especially in infrastructure. That’s really my specialization because I was a DPWH Secretary for almost six years,” Villar said.