By Earl Jed Roque/PNA
MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte said no government contracts or transactions involving public funds reach his table in Malacañang, stressing that he does not intervene in projects and funding of government agencies.
In a speech at the National Capital Region (NCR) Barangay Summit on Peace and Order Tuesday, Duterte said he gives discretion to decide on project implementation to officials heading the respective government agencies.
“Kung ano iyong proyekto ng DILG [Department of Interior and Local Government] kay [DILG Secretary Eduardo] Año ‘yan. Wala akong pakialam. Kung may project ang National Security Adviser, kanya ‘yan. (Whatever project DILG has, it’s with Secretary Año. I do not intervene. If the National Security Adviser has a project, that’s his.) It begins and ends there. Wala kang makitang pirma (You won’t see my signature) because I do not allow it,” he said.
The President said he is strict in ensuring accountability of government officials if irregularities happen on the projects they handle.
“So pagdating diyan (when it comes to projects), discretion mo na (it’s the officials’ discretion to say) yes or no. Balik ko ‘yan sa kanila (I’ll return to them and say), “You decide and if something goes wrong, then you have to answer,” he said.
Duterte added that he has also been fair in dealing with his political allies tagged in corruption allegations.
“Usually political ganun, maski sabihin mo kakampi ko PDP (even if a person is my ally in PDP-Laban) … I would always tell you be fair. I will not be a party to any injustice. Never,” he said.
The Duterte administration has embarked on a massive infrastructure program called ‘Build, Build, Build’ aimed to improve transport systems in the country, boost the economy, and create jobs for Filipinos.
As of end-November 2018, 35 out of the 75 infrastructure flagship projects in the said program have been approved by the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and confirmed by its Board.
These have a total investment requirement of PHP1.54 trillion.
