Press Release
November 12, 2008

KIKO CALLS ON EXECUTIVE-LEGISLATIVE COORDINATED ACTION
ON INFRASTRUCTURE

Following today's Senate budget hearing for the Development Budget Coordinating Council (DBCC), Senate Majority Leader and Independent senator Kiko Pangilinan today called for an executive-legislative action on the country's infrastructure initiatives through the passage of a National Infrastructure Modernization Act.

"Infrastructure development is a key component of growth in any nation as it encompasses all areas of development--it is an element of agriculture modernization, of tourism, of education, among others. We therefore need to align all our initiatives to ensure that we are moving in one direction and that we are maximizing the resources that go to this area. The executive and legislative branches must work closely to achieve this, and we must pass a National Infrastructure Modernization Act that will flesh out the reforms we need in our infrastructure development" Kiko said.

The government has allocated some P200 billion in additional funding for infrastructure projects in the 2008 General Appropriations Act and named 148 priority infrastructure projects, including 27 public works in Mindanao.

"A National Infrastructure Modernization Act will speed up infrastructure projects and it will provide legal regime for infrastructure investments from private sector. We have seen how the participation of the private sector, if engaged with transparency, results in success�the North Luzon Expressway, the privatization of MWSS, the sale of Fort Bonifacio are just some examples. In the long run private sector will maintain these infrastructures and we want to ensure that we reach a win-win situation each time," Kiko ended.

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