30 May What is Duterte’s First Major Project? A Railway!
On Saturday, May 28, in a press conference, president-elect Rodrigo Duterte had told the media that his first major project is a railway system.
“My first major project will be a railway,” said Duterte.
He also added, “I have to declare a crisis in the war against crime, and dito sa part of the commuter, trains and all. May crisis ako diyan. My crisis begins with EDSA.”
The railway system is planned by Duterte to counter the overcrowding in Metro Maila while driving the populace into the rural areas as transportation liabilities may alleviate by implementing this railway system.
Duterte wants 4 railway systems, “It’s Manila-Nueva Vizcaya then Manila-Sorsogon, Manila to Batangas, and the whole Mindanao.”
This might sound interesting, but where does the Philippines get the funds? Duterte answered the question in an honest tone saying, “It may involve another country. Frankly, we do not have the money for it.”
Rumors have surfaced that he may be mentioning China as the other country who will build the railways for us. In this question, the answer that the media got from Duterte was, “maybe.”
But this agreement with China, as believed by many, may trigger an abandonment of the West Philippine Sea. Duterte answered, “Just because you are building me a railway doesn’t mean I’m abandoning Scarborough Shoal.”
For the current train systems in Metro Manila, Duterte has no problem with it. He said, “I am in favor of proprietary activity of interest to the government, the private persons can maintain it. Walang problema tayo. It’s more efficient. It’s keeping up with the quality, with what’s required.”
Yet, Duterte found the public-private partnership of the Aquino’s Administration on these existing Metro Manila railways to be slow.
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