Whenever people talk about infrastructure development in the Philippines, they cannot help but slam into the wall called “right of way” (ROW). A second curse are politicians who get “in the way” of progress.
Right of way is what happens when the government wants to get things done but at the expense of builders and developers, and won’t use its legal and police powers to facilitate projects that are for the greater good.
The government conducts biddings and after awarding the contract, requires the winner to get a move on, regardless of the obstacles or unserved commitments that the government declared.
Because of the money already paid to government, the cost of money or interest, other winners plod on, hoping the government can catch up to clear ROWs.
Almost always, the winners have to advance the money to pay for ROW or get local officials to “work with them or work for them” to get the right of way so that the project can advance.
So, problem one is right of way. Problem two is government officials having no sense of urgency or political will to expedite or expropriate properties needed for right of way.
The third problem is at the local government level. I term it as politicians “in the way.” Back when I traveled a lot around the Philippines, I learned about politicians, mostly governors and congressmen, going into “land banking.”
As congressmen or governors, these officials had “insider information” about government plans and projects in their province or were directly involved in soliciting funds and projects from the national government.
These politicians knew way ahead of time where schools, hospitals or airports and seaports would be or could be built in a specific location. They immediately bought up all the cheap provincial land that could be used for these projects or around them.
Half of the time, the governor or congressman strategically worked out a “development plan” over several years, confident that they can see things through via political dynasty or “investing” on voters through massive vote buying.
One way or another, these politicians get a windfall, a strategic location to do business or have a joint venture agreement in the development of ports, airports or even subway stations.
Experts don’t talk much about people “in the way.” For example, there was a time when tele-communications companies could not move ahead because local officials started demanding or imposing “Special Purpose Permits” for cell sites.
It got so bad that telcos had to go to court for several years, until the Court of Appeals came out with a ruling that LGUs could not tie up or meddle in projects of national interest. That decision put an end to “Special Purpose Permits.”
We need such a law if we are ever going to get up from the slump we are in, in terms of infrastructure projects. Sometime last year, I wrote about how the MRT7 project, which is supposed to go all the way to San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan (Station 14) might not make it to its intended final destination.
This is because the local government insisted on a realignment of diversion of the tracks towards another commercial district instead of the original design by the DOTr/national government as stated in the contract.
The diversion or redirection would be a disservice to the residents of San Jose Del Monte and would cost the builders far more money and time, so the developers of the MRT7 have decided to build only up to Station 13 or the Tala station. Thousands of train riders from San Jose Del Monte will be inconvenienced by the very politicians they voted for.
The proposed bridge across Boracay is similarly situated. People “in the way” immediately protested against the bridge without looking at the situation on the island.
Tourists going to Boracay want a seamless journey because most of them are on limited vacation time. Instead, they spend two to three hours going from plane to tricycle, window to window to pay municipal fees.
They walk to the port to take a banca and do the traditional balancing act to get off a boat when instead, they could be driven point to point in clean, airconditioned minibuses that the municipality can operate and which can create jobs.
I love Boracay but as far as garbage is concerned, you cannot have thousands enter the island every day and expect it to be clean. Like other towns and municipalities, Boracay would do much better having their garbage hauled by garbage trucks instead of scattered along alley ways.
All the workers and transient vendors that have to take ferry rides could walk from Caticlan to Boracay and back, stay healthy and save fare money. What officials in Caticlan miss is that the bridge will make the town more accessible for medical emergencies, police matters, especially fire.
Another helpful feature the bridge could provide is above ground cabling for telcos and power providers. The island needs choices in both power as well as internet.
Perhaps, the people “in the way” don’t realize that they could be blocking their own interest and benefits. Connecting Boracay and Caticlan will spread business growth on both sides. Help make a way and don’t be “in the way.”