PARTIDO Reporma chairman and standard-bearer Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson vowed to honor valid and ongoing infrastructure projects under the ‘Build Build Build’ program if he gets elected as President in May.

“Kung perfected na ‘yung kontrata, hindi puwedeng hindi ipatupad. Nandiyan na ‘yan at ito’y para sa development,” he said when asked if he will continue pending big-ticket projects of the Duterte administration.

These projects include the Mindanao Railway and bridges that will connect the Island Garden City of Samal to Davao City as well as the islands of Iloilo, Guimaras, Negros Occidental and Cebu in Visayas.

“Kung naka-perfect na ‘yung kontrata diyan sa Mindanao, ‘yung railway [at] lahat ng kontrata, meron tayo diyan tinatawag na inviolability ng kontrata, hindi pywedeng i-violate ‘yan,” Lacson said.

He reiterated his plan to make some adjustments to bring back the Public Private Partnership scheme so as not to overextend the huge national debt that will be left behind by President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Pero dapat mag-shift na tayo papunta sa PPP kasi baon na tayo sa utang. Baka hindi tayo maka-afford ng BBB. Kailangan i-tweak natin na gamitin natin ‘yung ating mga lokal na mga industriya na willing namang makipag-partner sa ating gobyerno,” Lacson said.

He pledged to be cautious in making decisions with respect to proposed land reclamation projects.

“Babalik ako doon sa pinaka-basic na guidelines ko na sinusunod, ano, sa paggawa ng policy decision o maski anong decision — dapat science-based at data-driven. Ito ang pinaka-importante kasi hindi lahat… Hindi ito parang pwede mong i-apply sa buong kapuluan,” the presidential aspirant said.

“May mga areas na baka kailangan talaga nilang mag-reclaim pero, again, dapat nakabase ito sa siyensiya at saka sa mga datos. Kailangan ba talaga at ito ba’y makakasama sa environment? Sa ibang lugar naman talagang hindi puwede,” he added.