Is There Light At The End Of The Tunnel?

In last week’s issue, this column tackled the many billion-peso projects now underway in the First District of Leyte. By my last count, the total value of these infrastructure projects is in the vicinity of 40 billion pesos and counting. (By a strange coincidence, this is about the same amount as Cong. Baste Duterte was criticized for having reportedly made when he got that huge allocation during the presidency of his father.) I mentioned in this column last week that this blitz of infra projects is, at this time, like putting the proverbial cart before the horse. The follow-up question is: where are the projects in the other sectors that these infra projects are supposed to support?

Rehashed Projects?

The Office of the Speaker made a significant effort to reach out, but the departments and agencies which are supposed to churn out relevant proposals just could not think of projects worthy of funding.

Many of the proposals were rehashed. Not many new ideas. If these project ideas did not work before, why would they work now?

Our infra agencies are better placed and seem to be on the ball and in step with the intentions of the President and the Speaker, but not our other agencies in agriculture, industry, and tourism.

As far as these agencies are concerned, we can say it is time to wake up, make your best efforts, and take advantage of the opportunities in the geographic areas where the blitz infra projects are being implemented. Many of these will be completed in two years. By then, the agri-industry-tourism projects should be in full swing as these tie up with the infra blitz.

It’s About Time

With almost a third of the people in Eastern Visayas categorized as poor or living below the statistical poverty line, it is indeed about time. We can even say this aggressive pursuit of programs should have been started long ago.

By the looks of it, we are in for many more years of the Marcos-led administration. We should stop planning short-term or for the next few years, but over a long period of time, going into the term of the next Presidency.

I have also noticed that the agencies bring their so-called best foot forward when the big bosses are around. That is our political and bureaucratic culture. If that is a given, then we work with it.

Therefore, a quarterly visit by President Bongbong Marcos will be an effective way of keeping these agencies on alert, active, and making lots of progress “as if there is no tomorrow”.

Heads Must Roll

If a head of agency is not meeting targets, he is out of the region, if not of the agency altogether. Heads must roll.

In this sense, a shake-up is needed to prove the administration's concern for decisive action. The heads must walk the talk. If they don’t then they must walk to their retirement or resignation.

Fighting poverty is a serious undertaking dealing with the lives of people. There is no room for the lazy and the faint of heart. There must be clear accountability. The tenure of officials in this region should be tied up with the poverty status of the region.

March To Prosperity

The local bureaucracy will always look for projects to present to the big bosses. They will not be disappointed. They just have to be selective by proposing projects that will have significant positive impact on people’s lives.

The Regional Development Council does not wield enough power to allocate with finality resources and keep all agencies and LGUs committed to the march to regional prosperity. Even the RDC’s Regional Project Monitoring Committee is helpless in calling attention to and getting things done decisively.

Many agencies listen and accept recommendations but will not act on them or if they do so, they will act only for compliance without really taking decisive action.

Sometimes RPMC resolutions are ignored. In Tagalog, na deadma lang.The RPMC ends up being a talking committee.

Part Of The Game

Coordination has its limits. The key decision makers are those who wield power on allocations, appointments, transfer of personnel, promotions, rules, and so forth.

Poverty seems to be part of a game which losers are relegated to.

This time around, we won’t be at the losing end, if we play our cards right. This time, many factors are in our favor. With the political part decidedly in our favor, what the blitz infra needs from the bureaucracy and the private sector is a strong sense of urgency.

Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Without a shadow of a doubt, there is. But the problem is it is taking a very long time to navigate the tunnel. Most of the officials who must lead appear to be slow-footed.

The light is there but when can we even reach it?