PBBM makes sure that PH’s “golden age of infrastructure” will continue.

DSG | PBBM makes sure that PH’s “golden age of infrastructure” will continue | MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Friday that he would follow his father’s plan for a “golden age of infrastructure” to make it easier to move around and connect in the Philippines.

During the 125th anniversary celebration of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Port Area, Manila, Marcos talked about how important building infrastructure is to building a country.

Marcos said that putting a high priority on the infrastructure sector is the “basic element” of making progress in the country.

“That is why you have a long and celebrated past that goes back many centuries. “What the department has done has not only changed our landscapes but also shaped our society as a whole,” he said.

“Do not pass up the golden age of infrastructure. Ipagpatuloy natin ang golden age of infrastructure ngayon dahil naman kailangan na kailangan ng ating mga kababayan (Let us make sure that the golden of infrastructure will not end. Let us keep the golden age of infrastructure going because it would be good for our people,” Marcos said.

Former president Rodrigo Duterte’s bold “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program led the country into the so-called “golden age of infrastructure.”

Under Marcos’s rule, the infrastructure development plan has been renamed the “Build, Better, More” program.

As chairperson of the National Economic and Development Authority Board, Marcos cleared in March of this year 194 high-impact infrastructure projects worth PHP9 trillion.

Marcos said that the DPWH was responsible for the success of big infrastructure projects. He pointed to the department’s “very long list of accomplishments” since it was created 125 years ago.

“From the beautiful government buildings to the big projects like dams and irrigation systems, bridges, and highways connecting our many islands, the Public Works department has been at the front and center of planning and building it all,” he said.

“You should be proud, because each of you has helped build not only these structures but also the nation as a whole,” he said.

Marcos said that the hard work of the DPWH staff has led to the building of several structures that “create opportunities, ease commerce, improve mobility, and protect the lives of our people.”

He urged the department to use the new tools and methods to finish important infrastructure projects on time.

“As we celebrate this milestone, I still hope that everyone in the Department of Public Works will stay committed to its mission and to this administration’s 8-point socioeconomic agenda by committing to build and finish critical infrastructure projects on time, on schedule, and under budget,” Marcos said.

Marcos asked the DPWH to continue streamlining its processes to avoid delays and make sure that all government projects and deals are clear.

He also asked them to make sure that the buildings and facilities that will be built under the “Build, Better, More” program are not only beautiful but will also “physically survive” for the next 80 to 100 years.

“There are many agencies and, of course, all other departments and, for that matter, my own office are behind you to help you and make sure everything we do works out,” Marcos said.

During the program, Marcos also saw the giving and recognizing of several DPWH regional offices and district engineering offices, including the Ilocos Region, the first and second districts of Pangasinan, and the second district of Batangas.

The celebration of the DPWH’s founding anniversary is based on the theme “Makasaysayang Daan Tungo sa Maunlad na Kinabukasan,” which highlights the department’s past achievements in building infrastructure and its important contributions to nation-building over the last 125 years.

The DPWH was created on June 23, 1898, and its job is to plan infrastructure and develop, build, and maintain national roads, bridges, and major flood control systems. (via PNA)