Emmerson Navarro

CE 5A
The “Build, Build, Build” Program

As an engineering student, I’ve come into conclusion that one of our country’s major
weaknesses is the transportation system. We lack infrastructures that could have been a way to
resolve the problem on high unemployment rate. Infrastructure has been a major source of
concern for foreign investors, who have been discouraged by the country’s lack of
infrastructures and heave utility costs. Those investments are crucial to create well-paying jobs
for the millions of poor and unemployed Filipinos.
After all, people cannot foresee what this program will have to offer to the future
generation years from now and how our economy will benefit in the near future. President
Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build Plan” is an ambitious undertaking, and indeed has a great
potential to make the Philippines a stronger, more developed nation. Still, the government’s
pursuit to achieve a “Golden Age of Infrastructure” can also prove to be an exceptional burden
to the economy and many Filipinos in the long run. However, it has been reported that the
government borrowed US$17 billion in 2018 alone to fund these projects. To think that our
country has this amount of debt, there is fear that it might lead to huge unwanted impacts.
That’s why as the Philippine government looks to borrow more and spend taxpayer money to
fund its infrastructure projects, it needs to ensure that the implementation of these projects
goes through smoothly.
I just hope and pray that all the people involved in the construction of all the projects
will not take advantage of their authority and work to earn benefits more than they should.
Nevertheless, only time will tell if this is all worth it.