Policy Brief SENATE ECONOMIC PLANNING OFFICE

December 2008 PB-08-08

Revisiting Infrastructure Spending

INTRODUCTION

The national government’s Increasing integration of the global economy requires mobile factors
of production and distribution, and brings about fierce competition for
infrastructure-led investment capital. The ability of a country to adjust to the ever-changing
economic landscape largely determines investment levels and ultimately,
long-term growth prospects.
development strategy is
Economic literature supports the idea that infrastructure considerably
well intended and seems to improves the capacity of the domestic economy to respond to the requisites
of a more challenging business environment. Infrastructure contributes to
be on the right track. economic growth through demand and supply channels by decreasing
production costs, contributing to the diversification of the economy,
However, there remain a providing access to the pragmatic application of technology, and raising
the economic returns to labor. (Kessides, 1993).
number of challenges that
Table 1. Potential Positive Impacts of Infrastructure on the Poor
must be hurdled before the Sector Direct Impact Indirect Impact
• Reduced energy costs for enterprise
• Mainly for lighting, TV, radio at low levels encouraging employment creation across
country can truly reap the Electricity
of income wide range of activities
• Heating, cooking, appliances for self- • Improved health and other services
employment at higher levels of income (refrigeration, lighting, etc.)
benefits of such strategy. • Improved ICT access
• Reduced energy costs for enterprise
• Limited impact at low-income levels
Piped Gas encouraging employment creation across
• Heating, cooking at higher levels of income
limited range of activities
• Reduced transport costs and improved
• Access to employment and markets market access for enterprises and service
Roads
• Access to services (health, education, etc.) providers, lowering the cost of serving
remote communities
• Reduced costs and improved market
Railways • Limited impact at low-income levels
access for enterprises
Urban Mass • Employment creation from more efficient
• Access to employment opportunities
Transit labor markets
• Reduced transport costs for enterprises
Ports • Limited encouraging employment creation (bulk
commodities like agriculture)
• Reduced transport costs for enterprises
Airports • Limited encouraging employment creation (high-
value, low-bulk commodities and services)
• Better communication access aiding • Employment creation through improved
Information and
migration, information on opportunities, knowledge of markets, reduced
Communication
The SEPO Policy Brief, a publication of the access to knowledge, and potential management supervision costs, access to
Technology
Senate Economic Planning Office, provides engagement in wider communities wider knowledge base
analysis and discussion on important socio- • Improved health outcomes; time savings;
Water Supply • Limited
economic issues as inputs to the work of lower costs
Senators and Senate Officials. The SEPO Policy • Improved health outcomes; time savings; • Improved health outcomes (e.g. reduce
Sanitation
Brief is also available at www.senate.gov.ph. lower costs pollution by non-poor households)
Source: Jones (2004)
1
 Not only does infrastructure help beget economic II. PHILIPPINE INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING
growth, it also contributes to the alleviation of poverty
(Table 1). Physical infrastructure provides the poor with Public Spending. In the Philippines, public
access to education and health services, water and infrastructure spending as a percentage of GDP averaged
sanitation, employment, credit, and markets for 2.4 percent during the period 1985 to 2008. It peaked at 8.5
produce (Ali and Pernia, 2003). Queiros and Gautam percent in 1998 and declined to 3 percent in 2002. In view
(1992) found that the extent and quality of paved road of the fact that countries that have made substantial
networks is strongly correlated to trends in per capita investments in infrastructure have forged their way ahead
GDP in a large sample of developing countries. Kwon of countries that have not, the World Bank is encouraging
(2000), on the other hand, found that poverty reduction the Philippine government to invest at least 3 to 5 percent
is most sensitive to road infrastructure, followed by of GDP in infrastructure.
education, agriculture and irrigation.
Figure 1. Public Infra Spending as a Percentage of GDP
I. STATUS OF PHILIPPINE INFRASTRUCTURE (%) 1985 - 2007

The country’s lack of available key infrastructure is

often cited as a critical constraint to investment and
growth (ADB,2007). In the 2008-2009 Global
Competitiveness Report (GCR)1, the Philippines ranked
94 out of 134 economies in terms of infrastructure. (Table
2). The country also ranked low in the 2008 World
Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY)2 in which it ranked 48
out of 55 economies in terms of infrastructure. The poor Source: World Bank and PPIAF, PPI Project
state of infrastructure has constantly been blamed for Database
the high cost of doing business, resulting in low
investment inflows and high unemployment rates. During her State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 2006,
President Macapagal-Arroyo unveiled the Super Regions
Table 2. Ranking in Infrastructure and Global Competitiveness, Project which was aimed at facilitating the implementation
2008-2009 (out of 134 economies) of infrastructure projects laid out in the MTPDP and focusing
China India Indo Korea Malay Phil Sing Thai Viet efforts to harness the natural competitive advantages of
Infrastructure 58 90 96 18 19 94 2 35 97 the five subeconomic regions, namely: North Luzon Agri-
Overall
Competitiveness
30 50 55 13 21 71 5 34 70 business Quadrangle; Luzon Urban Beltway, Central
Source: Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009 Philippines, Mindanao, and the Cyber Corridor. The 2007
budget was focused on these projects in the Super Regions.
Moreover, the World Bank (2005) indicated that wide
income disparities among regions in the Philippines can Public spending on infrastructure increased
be attributed, in part, to regional differences in the level considerably in 2007 by 71.9 percent when the government
of infrastructure development. pledged to increase infrastructure expenditure to enhance
productivity and economic growth. Infrastructure spending
Based on World Bank estimates, about US$35 to 45 constituted roughly 25 percent of total government
billion is needed to rehabilitate and modernize the expenditure during the period 2001 to 2007.
infrastructure sector over the next decade. Given the
limited resources available, spending on key Accordingly, the National Economic Development
infrastructure must be closely scrutinized to ensure Authority (NEDA) prepared the 2007-2010 Comprehensive
allocative efficiency and transparency. and Integrated Infrastructure Program (CIIP), which is a list
1
The Global Competitiveness Report ranks 134 economies using 12 of priority infrastructure projects and their timelines. The
pillars (indexes) for competitiveness, namely: Institutions, CIIP includes projects appropriate for a purely private
Infrastructure, Macroeconomic Stability, Health and Primary
Education, Higher Education and Training, Goods Market Efficiency,
investment, public-private partnership (i.e., joint venture),
Labor Market Eficiency, Financial Market Sophistication, Technological and purely public investment.
Readiness, Market Size, Business Sophistication, and Innovation.
2
The WCY ranks 55 economies using 331 criteria that are classified
according to four competitiveness indicators, namely: Economic The CIIP projects require a total investment of PhP2.016
Performance, Business Efficiency, Government Efficiency, and trillion, of which the public sector is set to shoulder PhP1.3
Infrastructure. The Philippines clinched the 40th spot (out of 55) in the trillion, equivalent to 62.8 percent of the total. The national
overall competitiveness ranking.
2
government and government owned and controlled Figure 4. Locally funded and Foreign assisted NG Infra Outlay
corporations (GOCCs) are to finance PhP881.5 billion and (in PhP billion; constant 2000 prices)
PhP 337.3 billion, respectively.

Figure 2. CIIP 2007-2010 Investment Requirement by

Sources of Financing

source: BESF 2009

The significant increase of infrastructure spending

by the national government has accordingly resulted in
a considerable change in its financing mix. Prior to 2006,
source: NEDA national government’s infrastructure spending is more
or less equally financed by locally raised funds and
The proposed national budget for 2009 totals PhP1.415 foreign grants/loans. After 2006 however, a little more
trillion, of which PhP229.6 billion or 16.2 percent is allocated than 75 percent of the national government ’s
for public infrastructure. The proposed fund for public infrastructure outlay is financed by locally raised funds.
infrastructure represents a 6.9-percent increase over this The decreasing reliance on foreign funds may be viewed
year’s allotment and would account for 2.6 percent of the as a result of the fiscal consolidation program that was
projected 2009 GDP figure of PhP8.7 trillion.3 undertaken since 2005 and as a deliberate measure to
limit the risks associated with foreign exchange
In real terms (i.e., inflation adjusted), the proposed movements.
public infrastructure budget will amount to PhP137.6
billion.4 Of that amount, the national government is set Although the infrastructure budget was increased
to spend PhP 88.4 billion or about 64.2 percent. GOCCs from 2007 to 2008, public construction posted a negative
and local government units (LGUs) would be spending 6.4 percent growth during the first semester of 2008.
PhP19.2 billion and PhP30.0 billion, respectively. The Economic managers have explained that the contraction
spending share of the national government has been was due to the poor absorptive capacity of the
increasing beginning in 2005, the same period when the implementing agencies, which, in turn, is aggravated by
share of GOCCs started to decrease. On the other hand, the lack of coordination between funding and
the share of LGUs has remained stable, averaging at implementing agencies.
20 percent.
In a recent Senate hearing, implementing agencies
Figure 3. Real Public Spending on Infrastructure, 2003-2009 divulged that the bottleneck lies in the releasing of
(in billion pesos) funds. In response, the Department of Budget and
Management (DBM) said that since the 2008 budget took
effect on April 1, 2008, bulk of the infrastructure funds
were discharged through comprehensive release. Such
instruction apparently has not reached the field offices
of the implementing agencies and this has resulted in
projects not being carried out early on as planned and/
or were not completed on time.

source: BESF 2009 During an economic downturn, such as the one

currently being experienced by the country, public
3 construction has always been relied on as a pumppriming
This is based on a low GDP projection sourced from the 2009
Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing.
tool in developing countries. Public spending on big ticket
4
Figures in real terms are in constant 2000 prices. items like infrastructure is seen as a way of generating
3
income and acts as an alternative to compensate for the The BOT law not only allows for various modes of
decreasing levels of private investment and external private participation, but also provides for direct
demand.5 In such case, the government cannot afford negotiation of contracts and investment incentives in
bottlenecks in the implementation of infrastructure certain cases, and addresses the problem of unsolicited
projects. proposals.7 The law expands private sector participation in
infrastructure development in sectors such as power, ports,
According to estimates of the DPWH, 30 percent of toll roads, airports, and water utilities. Indeed, there is a
infrastructure outlay goes towards the payment of labor marked increased in private investment since the
and that the required investment needed to create one enactment of the law in July 1990. However, such influx
job is PhP100,000. Approximately 540,000 new jobs would has not been sustained as private investment in
be created with the 2009 infrastructure budget. In this light, infrastructure fell from an estimate of US$4 billion in 1993
the government is looking into the possibility of to 1997 to US $1 billion in 1997 to 2001.
frontloading the necessary infrastructure funds for the first
two quarters of 2009 to fast track public spending. The design and enforcement of contracts under the
BOT Law, leaves much to be desired. Loopholes in the law
Indeed, while the provision of infrastructure services have, in many cases, resulted in contested transactions.8
has long been recognized as an enabler of growth, it is The expected benefits are weighed down by information
inherently challenging. Public provision of infrastructure asymmetries, economic inefficiencies (bureaucratic and
is inefficient and fails to address the problem of inadequate private), and rise of contingent liabilities of the government
access largely because of fiscal pressures. In addition, the (CPBD, 2008).
very nature of infrastructure utilities as essentials means
that their provision is highly politicized (Harris,2003). In addition, the two alternatives to the BOT mode —
commercial financing and official development assistance
Private Spending. Consistent with the global trend (ODA)9 — present some challenges. The high interest
during the 1990s, the Philippine government actively sought payments on commercial loans accounts for a sizeable
private sector participation in the provision and financing share of the annual budgetary appropriation for debt
of infrastructure services. service.10 The ODA is also problematic in as much as it brings
with it conditional ties (commitment fees) such as tied loans
Figure 5. Private vis-a-vis Public Infrastructure Investments and grants, which oblige recipient countries to purchase
as a Percentage to GDP (%) goods and services from donor countries that may come at
expensive rates. ODA-funded projects are also constrained
by the availability of counterpart funds, which have to be
budgeted by the government.

Moreover, the perceived risks faced by private

investors coupled with a politically unstable
environment have stimulated demand for government
guarantees. The BOT Law and its amending law, however,

source: WB and PPIAF, PPI Project Database

The Philippines was one of the pioneers in the Built- 7

Modes of private participation are: (1) build-operate-transfer; (2) build-run-
Operate-Transfer (BOT) scheme.6 The introduction of and-operate; (3) build-transfer; (4) build-lease-and-transfer; (5) contract-add-
Republic Act 6957, otherwise known as the BOT Law, and operate; (6) develop-operate-transfer; (7) rehabilitate-operate-transfer; and
(8) rehabilitate-own-operate.
the subsequent amendments to this law under Republic 8
For instance, “take-or-pay” contracts of independent power producers (IPP),
Act 7718, is reflective of the government’s commitment to ZTE National Broadband Network, and the Cyber Education Program. For a
utilize private sector expertise and resources in more detailed discussion on the BOT Law and the Government Procurement
Reform Act, see Plugging the Loopholes on the Philippine Procurement System
infrastructure. by G.H. Ambat and Renard Kayne Ycasiano (2008).
9
ODAs are loans from multilateral institutions and bilateral sources. Both
5
Keynesian school of thought in Economics. commercial financing and ODAs require competitive procurement. The BOT
6
Under the BOT scheme, “the contractor operates the facility over a fixed term during law prohibits the use of explicit government guarantees and limits the use of
which it is allowed to charge facility users appropriate tolls, fees, rentals and charges public funds to not more than 50 percent of the total project cost.
10
sufficient to enable the contractor to recover its operating and maintenance For the longest time since the 1980s, total debt service account for the
expenses and its investment in the project plus a reasonable rate of return thereon.” largest share in the annual national budget.

4
do not have any specific provision on government The DPWH is the main agency responsible for the
guarantees. According to Felicito Payumo,11 it was never design, construction and maintenance of national roads
the intention of the law to shield private investors and bridges, major flood control systems, and other
against loss. An investor is expected to assume the physical infrastructure. Out of its 2009 proposed budget
business risks attendant to the financing, construction, of PhP112.4 billion, allocation for capital outlay amounts
operation and marketing of the project. to PhP99.8 billion, most of which goes towards the
completion of the SONA projects (PhP23.5 billion) and
Concomitant to the enactment of the BOT Law, the the decongestion of critical transport bottlenecks
government embarked on the liberalization of the including Metro Manila (PhP37.5 billion). A total of
maritime and air transport industries. The move was PhP83.9 billion is allotted for roads and bridges.
intended to promote greater private sector participation
and competition, thereby promoting efficiency and One must take note that although the amount
reducing cost in the delivery of public transport services. allotted for the construction and maintenance of roads
Despite these policy interventions, competition in the has been increasing since 2005, the share specifically
shipping and air transport industry remains dull. These earmarked for farm-to-market roads remains low at an
resulted in higher cost of travel, and inability to meet average of PhP3.7 billion annually. This may imply that
increasing demand for transport services. This poses a project allocations have been disproportionately
challenge particularly to the competitiveness of the focused on developed regions and biased against regions
agriculture and export sector that face inordinately high where agricultural production is concentrated. For
transport costs. example, northern and southern Mindanao has the
highest grain output in the country but have the lowest
III. MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES paved road ratios. These regions also have high
incidences of poverty.
Transportation. The archipelagic topography of the
country underscores the need for an efficient One other important issue that must be looked into
transportation system that would ease production is the disbursement of the Motor Vehicle User Charge
gridlocks and guarantee the speedy and timely delivery (MVUC). The MVUC is the equivalent of a “road user tax”
of goods and services. Rural (farm-to-market) roads for and is earmarked as a source of additional funds for the
instance, are found to have significant effects in improving DPWH and the DOTC.12 The total MVUC collected from
marketing opportunities and reducing transactions costs. 2003 to 2008 amounted to PhP43.5 billion, or
Beenhakker (1987) found that marketing cost of approximately PhP7 billion annually (Table 3).
agricultural commodities in developing countries could
account for as much as 60 percent of final prices for food, Table 3. MVUC Collection
with about half of that attributed to transport and freight. Year MVUC Collection
(in billion pesos)
2001 3.171
The Philippines’ transport system relies heavily on 2002 4.419
the road network which handles about 90 percent of the 2003 5.455
country’s passenger movement and about 50 percent of 2004 6.649
freight movement (MTPDP 2004-2010). 2005 7.217
2006 7.493
For the year 2009, the proposed budget for the 2007 7.737
transport sector totals PhP108.3 billion. This amount Source: Bantay Budget, Phil. Center
includes the budget of the Department of Transportation for National Budget Legislation
and Communication (DOTC), its attached agencies
(excluding National Telecommunications Commission),
and the programmed expenditures of the Department of As mandated by Republic Act 8794 (Road Users Act),
Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the construction the collected charges shall be used exclusively for: (1)
of roads and bridges (local and foreign funded). road maintenance and improvement of the road
drainage; (2) installation of adequate and efficient traffic
lights and road safety devices; and (3) air pollution
11
control. However, the Commission on Audit (COA) 2007
Felicito C. Payumo is former Chair of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
and three-term Congressman of the First District of Bataan. He was princi- 12
DPWH gets 92.5 percent of the total MVUC collected, while DOTC
pal author of R.A.6957, otherwise known as the BOT Law. gets 7.5 percent.
5
audit reports revealed that unrelated expenditures are The projected increase in energy consumption calls
charged (in practice) against the MVUC by the for an increase in investment in energy. The Philippine
management of DOTC and DPWH regional offices and Energy Plan for 2007 to 2014 originally set 2008 as the
district engineers’ offices. It would seem that the deadline in achieving 100 percent barangay
disposition of the MVUC funds does not fall under the electrification. However, the funds appropriated in 2007
purview of congressional oversight and is largely left at and 2008 were short of the required investment. Thus,
the discretion of the Road Board13 that is in charge of its as of September 2008, there are 1,115 remaining
administration. barangays that have yet to be given access to electricity.
This represents 3.4 percent of the total number of
Certainly, there are more instances in which public barangays nationwide.
funds allotted for infrastructure are misused. For
instance, the government continues to subsidize the
Philippine National Railways (PNR), which incurs Figure 6. Final Energy Demand by Sector
operating losses of around PhP200 million annually due (in million tonnes of oil equivalent)
to chronic underutilization.14 Since 2003, the PNR has
incurred losses of up to US$12.2 million.

Table 4. Number of Registered Airports

Regular international 4
Alternate International 4
Trunkline 12
Secondary 36
Feeder 29
source: DOE Energy Development Plan
TOTAL 85
Source: Air Transportation Office For 2009, the Department of Energy (DOE) proposed
that PhP 98.8 million and PhP 96.3 million be allotted
for its Barangay Electrification Program and Remote Area
In terms of air transportation, the Air Transport Electrification Subsidy, respectively. In addition, the
Office (ATO) operates a total of 85 airports most of which World Bank granted PhP 60.2 million for its Rural Power
fail to meet minimum international operations and Project. Thus, a total of PhP255.1 million will be allocated
safety standards (Table 4). Air transport projects were for barangay electrification or 23.7 percent of the
pursued mostly through ODA financing. Only one project proposed DOE budget. It is hoped that the 2009 budget
was undertaken through the private sector participation will enable the electrification of all barangays in the
mode, the NAIA International Passenger Terminal 3 country and to ultimately provide the poor in rural/far-
project. The project, however, met legal hurdles and flung communities with the benefits brought by
controversies. electrification.

Energy. The importance of energy cannot be Figure 7. Philippines Electricity Supply and Demand Profile
understated as the economy moves towards (2008-2014), in mW
industrialization. Energy consumption has been rising
at a rapid pace so much so that some fear of an impending
power crisis in the near future. Insufficient investments
in energy may result in the inability to provide for
adequate service by 2010.

13
The Road Board is composed of the DPWH Secretary (as its chairman),
Secretary of Finance, Secretary of Budget and Management, Secretary of
Transportation and Communication, and three selected nominees from
transport and motorist organizations.
14
The PNR operates and regulates a total of 1,296 kms of track, of which source: DOE
less than 50 percent is operational.
6
 Aside from access to energy, the price mechanism Table 6. Proposed Locally-Funded Projects of the DOE
pertinent to its provision must also be reviewed. A (in million pesos)
report on improving the investment climate in the Projects Amount
Philippines showed that a little over a third of the firms Barangay Electrification 98.8
surveyed indicated that affordable electricity remains Remote Area Electrification Subsidy 96.3
to be a major constraint to their operations. These firms National Continental Shelf Delimination 28.0
report that 8 percent of what they produce is lost due to Biofuels 25.6
National Energy Efficiency and Conservation 11.5
power outages, which number to an average of six a
Fuel Conservation and Efficiency in Road Transport 11.2
year. Power outages are more expensive for small firms. Power Conservation and Demand Management 11.1
(ADB-WB,2005). Hydrogen Program 10.4
Natural Gas Vehicle Program for Public Transport 8.7
The passage of the Electric Power Industry Coalbed Methane Resource Assessment 7.6
Restructuring Act (EPIRA) is viewed as an instrument in Oil Industry Deregulation Management 6.3
introducing reforms in the energy sector. It provides for Autogas Program 4.4
the establishment of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Resource Assessment of Low Enthalpy Geothermal 3.2
Energy Investment Promotion Program 2.2
Market (WESM), which is a mechanism for determining
Accreditation to ISOP 17025 of Lighting and
the price of electricity not covered by bilateral contracts Appliance Testing Laboratory Calibration Section
0.1
between sellers and buyers of electricity. Despite TOTAL 325.4
passage of the EPIRA, however the Philippines have one source: DOE Proposed Budget FY 2009
of the highest power rates in Asia, largely because of
our dependence on imported oil (Table 5). Water and Sanitation. There is a need for
government to recognize water as a socially vital
Table 5. Electricity Rates economic good that must be managed responsibly in
(in US cents/kWh) order to sustain growth and reduce poverty. Adequate
Residential Industrial Latest and equal access to safe drinking water and sanitation
Country Low High Low High Date facilities is key in improving the productivity of a labor-
China 6.0 6.1 6.6 8.7 (2006) rich country like the Philippines. The primary impacts of
Hong Kong 11.1 13.9 8.1 9.1 (2006) safe water facilities for poor households are likely to be
Japan 12.9 18.0 10.2 11.1 (2006) the savings in time (but these vary considerably among
Korea 6.1 19.9 5.1 6.7 (2006) locations), the cost of water, and the incremental benefit
Malaysia 5.9 8.5 3.9 6.4 (2006) of increased water consumption. Secondary impacts are
Philippines 13.6 21.5 12.3 19.5 (2008) on health and on small-scale economic activities, made
Singapore 17.0 17.0 17.0 17.0 (2008) possible partly by the time savings and the more readily
Thailand 4.8 8.0 3.2 9.7 (2006) available water.
Source: Department of Energy

Figure 8. Access to Safe Water and Sanitary Toilets Facilities

vis-a-vis Poverty Incidence
In its pursuit of energy independence and
reasonably-priced electricity, the government is pushing
for 60 percent energy self-sufficiency by 2010. Self-
sufficiency level reached 55.7 percent in 2007, a few
notches below the target of 57.2 percent that was set in
the Philippine Energy Plan (PEP). The passage of the
Biofuels Act (January 2007) and the Renewable Energy
Act (September 2008) is expected to fast track reforms
geared towards energy self-sufficiency and is expected
to bring in more investments in cleaner (and cheaper)
energy sources. The proposed locally-funded projects
of the DOE are focused on attaining these goals. (see source: PSY 2008
Table 6).

7
 While more than 90 percent of the urban population IV. CHALLENGES AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS
in the Philippines has access to safe water and sanitation
facilities, the corresponding figure for the rural areas The national government’s infrastructure-led
are about 80 percent and 70 percent, respectively. (ADB development strategy is well intended and seems to be
2004). National averages do not reflect the disparity in on the right track. However, there remain a number of
access across regions. For instance, the proportion of challenges that must be hurdled before the country can
households with access to safe water in the ARMM and truly reap the benefits of such strategy.
the NCR is 34.1 percent and 85.1 percent, respectively.
In terms of access to sanitary toilet facilities, the ARMM Financing. Efforts to improve fiscal discipline
records 47.3 percent while the NCR has 95.6 percent. allowed for more legroom in terms of spending for
infrastructure and other social services. Although there
Public investment for water systems (including has been a decline in the reliance on ODAs during the
artesian wells) in 2009 sums up to PhP 2.2 billion. The past years, a significant amount still requires budgetary
Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) is set to cover.
invest PhP498.6 million for water systems next year. The
Department of Health (DOH), which historically do not Considerably increasing the budgetary allocation for
partake of an infrastructure budget, is set to spend the maintenance of various infrastructures might be
PhP1.5 billion in capital outlay for “Potable Water inappropriate given the present fiscal dilemma. The
Supply.” This is considered as a lump sum item as the MVUC could be a steady and adequate source of funds if
2009 National Expenditure Program (NEP) does not it is used strictly and conscientiously to rehabilitate and
provide for any specific details (area/locality) on this improve infrastructure facilities, as the law provides.
project item of the DOH. Azfar, et. al. (2000) estimated that approximately 20 to
40 percent of public works resources are misused. It is
The provision and maintenance of irrigation in this context that the Road Users Act must be re-
facilities are also important in enhancing agricultural examined to better ensure improved governance and
productivity. Public investment in agricultural accountability in the utilization and appropriation of the
production facilities is expected to increase in 2009 with MVUCs. DOTC and DPWH must also rely increasingly on
the introduction of the FIELDS Program.15 The 2009 performance-based outsourcing to guarantee the timely
proposed investment for irrigation infrastructure is set completion of infrastructure projects.
to reach PhP13.3 billion, PhP12.6 billion of which is to
be expended by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Reliance on foreign funds for infrastructure is
the remaining PhP635.9 million shall be sourced from arguably not sustainable. The ideal is to utilize domestic
the Agrarian Reform Fund. The amount is expected to savings intermediated through domestic capital markets
provide irrigation for 173,443 hectares and to result in a for infrastructure financing. This of course implies a
30 percent increase in crop output . deepened domestic financial market and a stable
macroeconomic environment. In the meantime, it would
be wise to strengthen the regulatory capacity of debt
Figure 9. Public Spending on Water Supply and Irrigation management agencies.
(in million pesos)
The shift to users’ pay principle entails moving
towards an ideal charging regime for the use of
infrastructure. This includes expanding the toll road
coverage, area licensing system, and other forms of
congestion pricing. The pricing, which should be
cautiously executed, should allocate all of the associated
costs (e.g. congestion, environmental, wear and tear)
source: BESF 2009
to users. In this manner, the share of maintenance costs
to the annual programmed expenditures of the DOTC
and DPWH can be reduced significantly.
15
FIELDS stands for Fertilizer, Irrigation and Infrastructure, Extension and
Implementation. Although the necessary legislative
education, Loans and insurance, Dryer and other post harvest facilities,
framework is in place, the Philippine experience in
and Seeds — the six assistance packages of the food production drive
implementing infrastructures projects has persistently
introduced by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
8
been bogged down by inefficiency, corruption, and efficiency, effectiveness, accountability, and
patronage. transparency. The major concern is the allocation of
scarce resources to special budget funds that are not
Congress must act on the call to review the unclear necessarily aligned with policy priorities and not
provisions of the BOT Law and the Government transparent in their use.
Procurement Reform Act. This translates to improving
transparency in the bidding/procurement process. The existing system (1) provides a mechanism for
Moreover, there is a need to re-assess the roles of local interests to be incorporated in the budget via
implementing agencies, costs pertinent to transfer of special projects of members of Congress (government
ownership, and handling of residual claims. officials?) and (2) allow large amounts of discretionary
funds that do not pass through the normal budget
To guarantee the timely delivery of service, a more process. These can considerably affect the credibility of
straightforward mechanism must be introduced to the (annual and forward) budget estimates and the
unclog the bottlenecks in the disposition of integrity of the government’s strategic allocation
infrastructure funds. Moreover, there might be a need procedures.
for implementing agencies to beef up their stock of
qualified and efficient personnel to improve absorptive To improve planning, policy and regulation, agencies
capacity. should engage in infrastructure policymaking at three
levels: long-term strategy (around 10-20 years) in line
Once in place, institutional reforms geared towards with the national development plan; mid-term programs
improved coordination between national government (3-5 years) in line with a priority investment plan and
and local government units should follow. Stakeholders multi-year budgeting; and short-term action — a one
(e.g. LGUs) should also be encouraged to strengthen year (rolling) action plan in line with the annual budget.
monitoring and reporting capabilities, especially with Towards this end, what is called for is a more efficient
regard to rural infrastructure. scrutiny of proposed infrastructure projects and their
prioritization in view of limited fiscal capacity.
Setting Priorities. The increasingly tight budget
situation makes it all the more imperative that all
expenditures must be held at high standards of

References

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This Policy Brief was prepared by Kathreena Del Rosario and Herminia Caringal under the supervision of Directors Maria
Cristina Rubio-Pardalis and Merwin H. Salazar, and the overall guidance of Officer-in-Charge, Executive Director Ronald R.
Golding.
The views and opinions expressed are those of SEPO and do not necessarily reflect those of the Senate, of its leadership,
or of its individual members.

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