In recent days, part of the public discussion has centered around reconstruction efforts. On one hand, statistics show strong and positive economic growth in areas such as tourism, manufacturing, agribusiness, technology, and the export of services. The construction sector has also experienced a significant increase in activity and jobs due to the flow of federal funds from FEMA, HUD, ARPA, the Federal Transit Administration, the Army Corps of Engineers, among others. On the other hand, construction contractors and architecture and engineering firms are struggling to keep up with the current demand for projects and the need for more skilled workers to handle the massive volume of work.

Nonetheless, some sectors of society insist on the need for "mega" projects. This leads me to reflect on the following question: is it reasonable to expect reconstruction success to be measured by the completion of massive, monumental projects?

Before addressing that question, it’s important to assess the situation that existed in January 2021 regarding reconstruction projects. First, FEMA only began obligating the majority of funds for permanent work in late 2020, and in many cases between 2021 and 2023, including for the electric grid. Governor Pierluisi inherited federal restrictions and barriers that took time to eliminate or ease—such as allowing the advancement of federal funds in a reimbursement-based program. Therefore, we must acknowledge this starting point and what has been achieved from January 2021 to the present: from 81 permanent works completed to now 2,069; from $159 million disbursed for permanent works to now $2.1 billion; from 500 active permanent works to over 7,000 today, including 2,871 under construction. Regarding the electrical system, in January 2021 there were no obligated projects with authorization for disbursement and construction. Today, there are 137 approved projects and 104 in the construction phase, covering generation, transmission, and distribution.

Second, according to the Fiscal Plan certified by the Fiscal Oversight and Management Board, recovery funds will be disbursed through 2035. In fact, in relation to FEMA, the Fiscal Plan estimates that over $2 billion should be disbursed annually, and for 2023, we will exceed that figure. As for municipalities, Governor Pierluisi’s administration has disbursed $578 million in FEMA funds. Moreover, when compared fairly to Louisiana’s reconstruction after Hurricane Katrina, even the federal government acknowledges that Puerto Rico is on the right track.

Regarding the notion of “mega projects,” we must be clear: reconstruction funds are meant to address hurricane and earthquake damage to our public infrastructure and facilities owned by nonprofit organizations that provide critical services in education, health, and social welfare. Looking across the majority of municipalities, we see a wide variety of projects actively underway: bridges and roads, flood control, sports and recreational facilities, docks, airports, health centers, government offices, water and sewage treatment plants, churches, universities, schools, the replacement of poles, lighting, and electric substations, among others. Each project is important to the affected community, and the sum of all these works—regardless of their size—contributes to the resilience needed to face future natural disasters.

Specifically, this month the construction of the new Vieques hospital begins ($85 million); in Guayama, the Regional Sanitary Sewer Plant is being rebuilt ($90 million); Pan-American Docks I and II are under reconstruction ($7.5 million), as is the ResiCampus building at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras campus ($20 million). Meanwhile, construction has started on the new baseball stadium in Yabucoa ($26 million), and in Carolina, a flood control project has launched in the town center ($23 million). In San Lorenzo, a primary health center has been rebuilt ($6 million), and in San Sebastián, a new bridge was built in the Abrahonda community ($5.7 million).

These projects, along with thousands more, demonstrate that the Pedro Pierluisi administration is making progress in reconstruction. We don’t need “monumental” projects; we are rebuilding in a planned, efficient way—better than what we had before. With each passing month and year, we move closer to this crucial goal for our socioeconomic development. The vision and public policy reflected in these current (and future) achievements require, now more than ever, leadership, stability, and continuity.