Claim: A pro-Marcos Tiktok account posted a video about the North Luzon Rail Project, with the text: “Pnoy’s Term: pinaka mahal na rail way system sa buong mundo. Utang na binabayaran ngunit wala tayong napapala.”
Tiktok user @02anonymous88 which has 617 followers and more than 11,400 likes posted a spliced clip from the ABS-CBN investigative documentary show “Failon Ngayon.” He was referring to late President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s term.
Rating: The TikTok video’s claims are false.
Facts
The video was referring to the North Luzon Rail Project (NorthRail), one of the flagship plans of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2002.
It falsely claims that NorthRail, the country’s most expensive railway transportation project to date, was constructed under the Aquino administration. The project along with the massive cost was approved under the Arroyo administration.
The Aquino administration was afterward obligated to review the project and pay the remaining loan.
The 80-kilometer railroad project originally costs $421 million, which was supposed to be built and financed by a Chinese-owned company, China National Machinery and Equipment Corp Group (CNMEG). In 2009, during Arroyo’s term, the CNMEG raised the price to $593 million, with the Philippine government agreeing to shoulder the difference.
Even before the construction of the project started, the Senate had already raised concerns about alleged corruption, citing illegalities in the bidding process. Despite the controversies, construction began in 2007.
This promising project, however, was formally abolished during Aquino’s term in 2011 due to recurring legal issues.
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