DOTC: Skybridge to the Clouds

Disturbing is the accusation by the Czech ambassador Josef Rychlar that certain DOTC (Philippine Department of Transportation and Communication) officials under then Secretary Mar Roxas sought a commission of $30 million from the Czech firm Inekon for it to be eligible as a supplier of trains to Manila's metro. Rychtar allegedly reported the incident upon the assumption of present Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya but Rychtar is claiming now Abaya didn't even conduct an immediate investigation.

The story is still unfolding, the same officials directly involved were all appointees of Roxas but apparently are still with the DOTC under Abaya. I welcome that this thing was finally brought into light so it could be properly investigated once and for all.

I've been puzzled by the actuations of DOTC for a long time. A big part of China's rise was the massive infrastructure investments, but three years after the start of the Aquino administration, most (or is it all?) of the vaunted PPP infras within Metro Manila have yet to break ground.

Does the rot behind the Inekon mess also behind the following "mysteries"?

1. Any private initiative is welcome and two skyways (one from Manuel Pangilinan's Metro Pacific, and the other from Citra-San Miguel) are very much welcome indeed considering that both will pass through two congested parts- Pangilinan's across España, and Citra's across Araneta near Sto. Domingo, a considerable distance between them which could take hours in rush hour (the metropolitan skyways of Tokyo sometimes have only one intersection between them, and we are as congested as Tokyo). But why was Abaya so concerned that he was quoted as saying publicly that " the two skyways will compete with each other" and that they were an unwise investment? The two proposals were forwarded by time-tested entrepreneurs, but why was a government functionary so concerned about their viability when apparently they were not or they would not have bothered to submit proposals in the first place? He knows more about business than Pangilinan or San Miguel's Ramon Ang?

 2. Why were the PPP programs delayed one after the other? Three years after the start of the present administration, we still have to see signs that work is actually starting on the much-publicized (and as a consequence, eagerly awaited) Metro Manila Skyway 3, the NLEX-SLEX connector limk, the LRT 1 extension to Cavite, etc. Not to mention the lack of noise on other previously approved projects like the Grand LRT Station at North EDSA, the much-delayed MRT 7, etc.

If those big ticket projects which were previously bandied about were not even started, does that mean we should not waste time anymore dreaming of other deserving proposals like that of Pangilinan's offer to build a high speed train route from Clark to Makati over the PNR lines?

I very much like MMDA Director Francis Tolentino's proposal to build a Skybridge from Quezon City to Makati as alternate to EDSA because that is actually the most critical considering that it will connect the financial district to the congested inner core of the metropolis, complementing the above-mentioned skyways so the northern parts will have elevated connections to Makati from three congested points- Pangilinan's with old Manila and lower Camanava, Citra's with lower QC and upper Camanava, and the Skybridge with Quezon City proper and San Juan.

Even if funds are available, Filipinos just have to be content dreaming? As usual?