Roadblocks
If only for the tedious recitation of politicians’ names and the infrastructure projects they have requested, the unabashed display of patronage politics has become the most remembered aspect of President Arroyo’s recent State of the Nation Address. Since then the annual report to the nation continues to draw reactions, a number of them from unbiased quarters whose observations the administration would do well to remember.Share prices dropped when Fitch Ratings voiced the biggest concern: with a budget deficit that is expected to be much larger than projected for the year, how did the administration intend to finance the President’s so-called “legacy projects”?
The other major concern has been voiced even by pro-administration politicians: the projects in the pipeline provide opportunities for corruption, which can result in overpriced and substandard finished products or more white elephants. The country has enough roads and bridges to nowhere. Controversy can taint even foreign-funded projects, such as the broadband contract with a Chinese company. Certain quarters have also expressed concern about the qualifications of contractors who will be awarded legacy projects proposed by lawmakers under the congressional pork barrel.
These are valid concerns that the administration cannot ignore. Among the projects mentioned by the President were new or larger airports. But the country cannot even open a new airport terminal, which is now rotting away from disuse at the NAIA.
Corruption is also one of the biggest roadblocks in taming the deficit. The Office of the Ombudsman has made some progress in going after the corrupt in the largest fund-generating bureaus, Customs and internal revenue. But it will take time and many more indictments as well as political will to clean up the two bureaus that have consistently topped all surveys on the most corrupt government agencies. Competing with the two bureaus for the lowest rungs in transparency ratings is the Department of Public Works and Highways, which will be tasked to undertake many of the projects mentioned in the President’s legacy list.
Critics of the SONA point out that instead of a roadmap to 2010, President Arroyo had merely presented a map of roads in the archipelago — a lesson in Philippine geography. If the President wants to achieve her legacy, there are heavy roadblocks that she must get out of the way.
