Just do it!

I just found out that former DOTC secretary Jun Abaya tried to get approval of Phase 2 of the NAIA Terminal 2 rehabilitation, but was supposedly rebuffed by then DOF secretary Cesar Purisima and then Tourism secretary Mon Jimenez.  

Purisima and Jimenez supposedly opined it was useless to do the upgrade because they only had 14 months left. This is not the first time I heard this.

It will be recalled that Mar Roxas, when he was DOTC secretary, prioritized the structural upgrading of Terminal 1 for about a billion pesos. Phase 2 to improve facilities in the terminal was supposed to follow after DMCI completed the structural upgrade.

 Sources who worked with Sec. Jun told me they presented a Phase 2 upgrade plan to the Board of the MIAA, and both Purisima and Jimenez are members. DOTC prepared a conceptual plan with the help of a Filipino American architect specializing in airport design in the US.

More specifically, the project objectives of that Phase 2 upgrade are: increase capacity; improve life safety; decongest the terminal; enhance travel experience; improve operational efficiency; increase revenue opportunities; upgrade and modernize to global standards, and provide decent waiting areas for OFWs and their families.

They proposed to achieve those objectives by among others: rehabilitating and expanding the passenger drop-off and pick up curb areas; constructing a two level parking structure with connection to both departure and arrival levels; expansion of the terminal building pre-security at the departure level to accommodate OFWs; expansion of the terminal at both ends to create a more efficient check-in and lobby space, and expand the arrival area post Customs clearance for better meeters and greeters space.

So it seems Jun Abaya wasn’t totally asleep on the job. I hate to think Purisima and Jimenez didn’t want the project started because the next administration would get the credit. If the project got started at that time, about three years ago, it would have been finished by now.

 I understand they estimated a completion of about three to three and a half  years. It could also be shortened to two to two and a half years if they started doing the detailed engineering design while the paperwork went through the bureaucracy. Using the design and build approach would have further expedited the completion process.

Actually there were a number of designs received by DOTC for the NAIA Phase 2 project. There was one from the Locsin architectural firm and another one from Cobonpue of Cebu among others. Apparently, Jun Abaya, with the help of the Fil-Am consultant, had put together the conceptual plan presented to MIAA Board.

Government gets plenty of plans and studies. I guess the abundance of shovel ready plans is why Ben Diokno and the economic managers are so bullish about Build Build Build. What government lacks are the political will and the ability to execute plans.

 But as it is turning out, claimed political will during a campaign evaporates after election. Or put another way, assuming the best intentions, political will is no match to bureaucratic inertia and technical deficit to execute projects. This is why I have my doubts BBB will deliver as the current economic managers are saying.

I totally fault the Aquino administration for taking too long to decide to do projects, longer still to bid it out, and in the end deciding not to do it because they didn’t have enough time left.  

If they awarded the bundled airport projects, DOTr’s Tugade wouldn’t have been able to unbundle and we would have had by now, new privately run airports all over the country that could help alleviate NAIA congestion.   

 Never mind Purisima, but I expected Jimenez to see why a Phase 2 improvement of NAIA is vital to tourism development. I texted Jimenez and he said he does not recall such a project and rejection.

“My clear recollection is that we were always pushing for upgrade and modernization. It must not be assumed that all proposals were deserving of approval just because they were made,” Jimenez replied.

Maybe if Abaya really fought for the project, he could have overcome the objections. But Abaya had been clueless and lackadaisical. He wasted our high expectations that go with his otherwise impressive academic credentials.

I am worried that Tugade, even if he was more enthusiastic at the start, had been mangled by politicians like the former House speaker. I think he has lost much of the promise he had.

Tugade also apparently has a management style that does not assure cooperation and respect of subordinates. He has lost at least six usecs and asecs over the last two years. Ask those people why they left and they give you a meaningful smile.  

If you have such a high attrition rate of your senior staff in a private enterprise, your board of directors will start asking questions. Tugade had been boss of his own enterprise for years and his management style there is incompatible with running a public bureaucracy.

The only enthusiasm Tugade now has is for high profile publicity. He even invented a ceremony called “station marking” to send the false message that the North Rail project has started.

He also likes “ground breaking” ceremonies. He had one for the Common Station about a year ago, but construction has not started. I am not sure if a contract has been awarded to build it.

Then again, too, Duterte is also indecisive except with drugs and Trillanes. If he immediately put a stop to the long running argument between Jun Evasco and Jason Aquino over rice importation, the problem today wouldn’t be as bad.

There will always be two or more reasons why not to do a project for every good reason to do it. But if we are to catch up with our infrastructure gap, this government should adopt Nike’s slogan: Just do it!

Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @boochanco