Zubiri adds confusion to Panay-Guimaras bridge

“Today, if you are not confused, you are not thinking clearly.”
--Irene Peter

By Alex P. Vidal

ONE of the reasons why the Philippines appears to be slow in terms of progress and sometimes has become the laughing stock of Asia is because of grandstanding politicians like Senator Miguel “Migz” Zubiri.
Zubiri has just added confusion to the already muddled Panay-Guimaras-Negros bridge project by announcing in his recent Iloilo City visit that the multi-billion infrastructure will begin its construction in 2021, or a year before President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s term will expire.
He was quoted in a report to have said: “I believe ang Iloilo-Guimaras (bridge) may budget na and I think ready na for first phase. So, daw ang siling ni Mark (Villar) groundbreaking will be 2021 basta ma-groundbreaker na okey na ina. That is on-going project.”
“Ginhambalan ko nga padayunon na sia didto sa Negros because it makes more sense because gamay man lang Guimaras. So, the enterprises and goods from Iloilo and Guimaras ma-deliver na didto,” he reportedly added.
Like any other politicians who wanted to ride on the issue, a potential blockbuster for the next elections, Zubiri invoked the August 3 incident in the Guimaras Strait where several motorboats capsized and several passengers were killed.

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Zubiri made the statement without any detailed timeline, thus Ilonggos were made to believe that it’s “on the go” based on the “assurance” given to him by
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Villar.
Zubiri apparently wasn’t aware that DPWH undersecretary for planning and public-private partnership Maria Catalina Cabral informed Senator Franklin Drilon earlier that the Department of Finance “will consider the funding” only after they have submitted the feasibility study to the National Economic and Development Authority’s (NEDA) Investment Coordinating Council.
Meaning there has been no black and white approval of the budget yet from the Department of Finance contrary to what Zubiri had told the Iloilo press.

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Construction of the project, originally part of the administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program, is only targeted to commence in the second quarter of 2021, according to Villar in his most recent statement regarding the bridge.
Amid the confusion it would be better if proponents of the project designate only one official spokesperson to officially provide up-to-date details of the project to the public.
It appears now that so many politicians will just make random announcement on the project’s progress based on their own whims and convenience in order to get a free ride in the publicity.
Sooner or later, we trust our DPWH officials led by Villar to finish what they have started; we trust that they can soon begin the construction of the controversial project based on the proper dynamic and timeline enumerated in the feasibility study.
Everyone is excited to see the project completed by 2023, as promised by the Duterte administration, but politicians should refrain from issuing raw information and unverified statements that would only confuse the public.
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)