Feels like déjà vu

Here we go again. The US government recently announced “technical assistance” for the long-delayed Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas (SCMB) railway. Sounds impressive until you realize this may not be realized.

Do you recall when US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim, in 2019, said the US was supporting the then administration’s “build, build, build” infrastructure program with American private companies participating in major projects? Or their “Asia EDGE” energy program — a whole-of-government effort to grow sustainable and secure energy markets throughout the Indo-Pacific?

This isn’t America’s first infrastructure rodeo in the Philippines. In 2017, the South Commuter Railway promise, first floated under Obama, remains delayed to this day.

In March 2024, a US trade delegation headed by then Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo announced that approximately 20 American companies were investing an initial $1 billion in the Philippines.

Was this all just talk, little action?

The US’ technical assistance to the Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas railway project means they will share their expert knowledge, train Filipino workers, and provide assistance with the engineering and planning, rather than just provide financial support. Assistance like this could include sending in specialists, teaching us modern construction methods, and offering scholarships for training.

This type of assistance is valuable because it develops local skills, which would make the Philippines less reliant on foreign workers in the future. If done well, it could enhance the country’s ability to undertake large-scale infrastructure projects independently.

There are risks, however. Technical assistance is tied to specific conditions, such as a requirement to use expensive US-made technology and consultants. This could drive up costs. Additionally, if the knowledge transfer is ineffective, the Philippines would still not be genuinely independent in managing future projects. Past foreign-assisted projects had sometimes resulted in delays, mismanagement, and unfinished work. The government must ensure that this deal would benefit the country, not just the foreign companies, in the long term.

The pattern is clear though — make grand announcements about “supporting Philippine development,” offer studies and technical advice (with hefty consultancy fees), watch as the actual construction goes to other countries; rinse and repeat.

The SCMB railway has become a geopolitical football. Other countries, such as Japan, lost interest after conducting feasibility studies. China was ready to build until the negotiators got greedy. Now America is swooping in with... another study? Meanwhile, Vietnam has just opened its $58 billion North-South high-speed rail project, funded by Japan.

To break the cycle, we need to demand binding commitments, not just “assistance,” transparency on why past US pledges failed, and clear timelines with penalty clauses.

The bitter truth is that America excels at military bases (we now have nine EDCA sites) but lags behind in civilian infrastructure. Until we see bulldozers moving dirt, not just consultants moving papers, this will just be another chapter in our long history of being strung along.

The question isn’t whether this railway will be built. It is whether we’ll keep falling for the same old promises while our neighbors pull ahead.