Clark City, Pampanga — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) guarantees the public that it will boost its budget spending on infrastructure projects, services, and programs this year.
Following the challenge of Senate Finance Committee Chairman Senator Loren Legarda for government agencies not to underspend its budget, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said that he set a high internal target for DOTr so that the agency will be pressured to perform better and to push even more the implementation of projects.
“I am setting a higher internal target for DOTr so as to pressure ourselves to perform better. If the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) sets a 72% target on budget spending, ours will be 80%,” Secretary Tugade said.
The transportation chief likewise clarified observations that the DOTr has only managed to spend 18% of its budget for 2017. He said most of the projects have finished bidding and procurement processes and will start construction and implementation soon. It is only then that actual spending begins.
“Government processes take time. There are procedures and submissions and they could get frustrating at times, but these processes are necessary to ensure that there are no abuses. But, I assure you that our projects are on track, even ahead of schedule” said Tugade.
Tugade also mentioned that he did not feel slighted when Senator Legarda raised the possibility of underspending during the DOTr’s budget hearing last week. He said Legarda is merely stating data, which he needed to explain as head of agency. In a radio interview today, Legarda also clarified that she does not intend to single-out Tugade, but called on all agencies to avoid underspending. She also said during the interview that he knows Tugade as “napakasipag na tao”.
Tugade also clarified that the PHP11.5 billion that the DOTr returned to the National Treasury in December 2016 was a result of underspending from the previous administration.
When the new DOTr administration took over in July 2016, a total of PHP19.2 billion funds remain unobligated. In six months, the agency managed to obligate and download around PHP7 billion to projects and other attached agencies, a move allowed by the Commission on Audit.
“There simply wasn’t enough time. We were given six months to spend what our predecessor failed to spend and government processes are not cut out for that. Procurement alone can take months and months, and even years,” explained Tugade.
The transportation chief also reacted to claims that the DOTr has not started any infrastructure project this year. Among the projects that broke ground since Tugade took over are the Bicol International Airport, LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project, and the LRT-2 East Extension Project. The Communications Navigation Surveillance / Air Traffic Management system was also fast tracked and due for full implementation by the end of the year. At least eight airports are also currently being equipped with night-landing capabilities. The Common Station Project is also scheduled for groundbreaking within the month.
The DOTr assures the public that proper accounting and reporting shall be made to ensure the appropriate utilization of public funds.
“There’s no need to worry. We will get these projects done. But, this time, we will make sure everything will be done properly,” added Tugade. | DOTR- PR
