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Incoming president Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday said he would declare a “crisis” in transportation and criminality to address the longstanding problems plaguing commuters and citizens who are wary of their safety. Duterte said a crisis has to be declared as the government is trying to fight the problems “on so many fronts” despite limited resources.
“I have to declare a crisis in the war against crime and also on the part of commuters, trains and all. I have a crisis there,” the next Philippine leader said. “My crisis begins with EDSA. The other crisis is there are a lot of drugs and we’re fighting them on so many fronts,” he added. To solve the country’s transportation woes, Duterte said he would build a railway system connecting Manila to Nueva Vizcaya. Railway systems would also be installed in Sorsogon, Batangas and the whole of Mindanao. “My first big project is the establishment of a railway for the Philippines. Some are ready to help but we will ask what the payback is,” Duterte said. “It has to involve another country. We do not have money. I’ll tell you frankly, we do not have the money for it,” he added. When asked if the project would be undertaken with China, Duterte replied: “Maybe China.”
“As to how I will use them (to solve the problem), I will keep it to myself for now. In the meantime, just wait for further developments,” he added. Duterte, nevertheless, revealed that he is planning to add two more divisions to the Army and to increase the police force by 3,000 officers. A typical military division has 10,000 to 20,000 soldiers.
“I do not expect a war with anybody. But I said I should know that we would need another two divisions. Some military guys are not in agreement. But I need two divisions and 3,000 policemen. I have a task for them to do, which I will not tell you (media), because you love to gossip,” he said in jest. Duterte, who anchored his campaign on fighting crime and illegal drugs, also vowed to ensure that law enforcers would use their intelligence funds properly.
“We’re half the year already and if I see that you have only used one fourth of your intelligence fund because you’re sparing and very frugal, you are not working,” Duterte said. “What I want is if you have, say, P100 million for the year this year, at the end of the year, that P100 million should have been spent and you have (an output),” he added.
“Show me that you did not waste the intelligence funds…Give me (an output). It need not be cold bodies.”