BUILD! BUILD! BUILD! PROGRAM
The projects of the Build, Build, Build program has been highlighted as one of the major accomplishments by the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte since his presidency started in 2016.
Data from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) show that the program has led to the completion of 29,264 kilometers of roads.
The figure includes 2,025 kilometers of farm-to-market roads, 94.99 kilometers of farm-to-mill roads, 1,376.26 kilometers of missing links, 1,470.51 kilometers of bypasses or diversion roads, 149.65 kilometers of roads to airports, 293.19 kilometers of roads to seaports, 703.54 kilometers of roads to economic zones and 2,436.40 kilometers of roads to declared tourism destinations.
Notable road projects under the large-scale infrastructure program include the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Harbor Link Segment 10, the Cavite-Laguna Expressway, the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway, the Laguna Lake Highway, the Candon City Bypass Road in Ilocos Sur, the Slaughter House Road in Davao City, the Pulilan-Baliuag Diversion Road in Bulacan.
Aside from road projects, DPWH also finished the widening, retrofitting, rehabilitation, replacement, and construction of 5,950 bridges across the Philippines.
Said bridges include the Lucban Bridge in Cagayan, the Marcos Bridge in Marikina, the Sicapo Bridge in Ilocos Norte, the Anduyan Bridge in La Union, the Tallang Bridge in Cagayan, and the Bolo-Bolo Bridge in Misamis Oriental.
The Build, Build, Build program also resulted to the creation of 11,340 flood mitigation structures and 150,149 classrooms.
Amidst the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the DPWH has also completed 653 modular hospitals, off-site dormitories, and isolation facilities.
Aside from the DPWH, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has also been involved in the thousands of infrastructure projects under the Build, Build, Build program, which has been called the legacy of the Duterte Administration.
In an editorial, Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo, chairperson of the Build, Build, Build Committee, said that the DOTr finished 214 airport projects, 451 commercial and social seaport projects, and the first land-port of the Philippines, the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange, under the Duterte Administration.
Lamentillo particularly mentioned the completion of the Bohol-Panglao International Airport, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the Sangley Airport in Cavite, the Lal-Lo International Airport, the Tacloban Airport, the Puerto Princesa International Airport, the Ormoc Airport, Passenger Terminal Building at the Port of Cagayan de Oro, and the Cavite Gateway Terminal.
The completed projects also include the rehabilitation of various seaports including the Opol Port in Misamis Oriental, Sasa Port in Davao, Butuan Port in Agusan Del Norte, Tubigon Port in Bohol, and the Limasawa Port in Southern Leyte.
Lamentillo added that the DOTr also completed the LRT-2 East Extension project, which is expected to reduces travel time between Manila and Antipolo to around 40 minutes.
Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Act
In August 2017, President Duterte signed Republic Act 10931, also known as the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, to the delight of students enrolled in the 112 state universities and colleges across the Philippines.
RA 10931 provides full tuition subsidy to all students in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges, and state-run technical-vocational schools.
The new law covers various school fees including library fees, computer fees, laboratory fees, school ID fees, athletic fees, admission fees, development fees, guidance fees, handbook fees, entrance fees, registration fees, medical and dental fees, cultural and other similar or related fees.
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of distant learning in lieu of face to face classes, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) assured that qualified students continue to benefit from RA 10931.
During a press briefing on May 18, CHED chairperson Prospero De Vera said that close to 1.6 million students no longer pay tuition and miscellaneous fees.
Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law
In December 2017, President Duterte signed another key legislation of his term, the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAN) Law also known as TRAIN Law.
One of the key provisions of Republic Act 10963 or TRAIN Law, the first package of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, exempts salary earners with annual taxable income below Php 250,000 from paying personal income tax.
RA 10963, meanwhile, increases the tax rates for people who have an annual taxable income of more than Php 8 million from 32 percent to 35 percent.
The law also introduced or increased the excise tax for petroleum products, sweetened beverages, automobiles, tobacco, mining, and cosmetics.
In order to offset the impact on higher excise taxes on fuel products, RA 10963 directs the national government to provide unconditional cash transfers to the poorest 10 million households or individuals during the first three years of implementation.
The Land Bank of the Philippines said on April that it has released Php 60.36 billion worth of unconditional cash transfers to beneficiary households from March 18 to December 2020.
RA 10963 also provides fuel vouchers to qualified franchise holders of public utility jeepneys.
Bangsamoro Organic Law
The signing of Republic Act 11054, also known as the Bangsomoro Organic Law, has been considered considered as one of the major accomplishments by the Duterte Administration in the pursuit of peace.
RA 11054, which President Duterte signed on July 2018, replaces the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The creation of BARMM resulted from peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front that started even before the Duterte Administration.
Following a two-part plebiscite, BARMM consists of the provinces of Basilan, excluding Isabela City; Lanao Del Sur; Maguindanao; Sulu; Tawi-Tawi; Cotabato City; and 63 barangays of North Cotabato.
Universal Healthcare Law
Another major accomplishment of the Duterte Administration has been the passage of Republic Act 11223, also known as the Universal Health Care Act.
RA 11223, which the Chief Executive signed on February 2019, provides all Filipinos with equitable access to quality and affordable healthcare services.
The law automatically includes all Filipinos to the national health insurance program under the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) either as direct contributors or indirect contributors.
Direct contributors are those who have the capability to pay the premiums of PhilHealth, while indirect contributors include senior citizens and indigents who are subsidized by the government.
RA 11223 also mandates PhilHealth to expand its coverage to include free consultation fees, laboratory tests, and other diagnostic services.
