DoTr emergency powers won’t be passed this year

THE SENATE would tackle the emergency powers sought by the executive department before its year- end break, but unlikely to pass it this month as earlier targeted because of the Department of Transportation’s ( DoTr) supposed failure to give a detailed traffic management plan.

Senator Grace Poe, in a radio interview with DZMM yesterday, said: “I regret to say that [ in drafting the bill granting emergency powers] it became the job of us in the Senate — and it shouldn’t be — to detail what has to be the traffic plan.”

“It should have been the job of the DoTr to contact the different sectors of government and different civil society groups to give direction to its traffic plan,” said Ms. Poe, chair of the Senate committee on public services.

But what happened is that it was us in the Senate who did this,” she added, noting that resource persons consulted by the committee claimed that they were not even contacted by the DoTr.

At the same time, Ms. Poe sought public understanding that while the traffic congestion in the country’s capital has been crippling and needs to be immediately addressed, granting emergency powers “would not be an instant solution, especially if it is not implemented well.”

The emergency powers proposed to the Senate seeks to harmonize traffic rules in Metro Manila and other urbanized localities, provide detailed infrastructure projects, promote alternative modes of mobility, promote accountability and transparency, and use information and communications technology to manage the traffic problem.

“Aside from being an emergency powers bill, it is actually a bill to compel [ the DoTr] to take action, because if they don’t, it’s going to seem like they’re blaming it on the lack of emergency powers,” said Ms. Poe, who is slated to give the sponsorship speech for the special authority sought by President Rodrigo R. Duterte to resolve the long- standing traffic crisis in Metro Manila and other urban centers.

Should the Senate approve the emergency powers bill, it would still have to meet with the House of Representatives as a bicameral body to reconcile differences with the House version.

TUGADE FACTOR?

Mr. Duterte, during the Wallace Business Forum Dinner held Monday night, said the emergency powers were not passed because the legislature does not “like” Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade.

“They do not like [ Mr.] Tugade,” Mr. Duterte said. “[ B] ut he is very good person. He is just business- like, he talks like an executive.”

Mr. Tugade’s ad- interim appointment was approved yesterday by the Commission on Appointments, a Constitutional body composed of representatives from both houses of Congress.

“I’m sorry to say to the Filipinos, we are trying, the President added. We want to borrow money because we need money to improve things there down on the road level. But we haven’t been getting any positive [ response].

The chief executive said he already had talks with Chinese businessmen representing the Chinese government, which is offering a soft loan for related projects for a 25-year period, renewable for another 25 years, with a grace period of seven yeas.

“And if that’s [ how it] goes on the terms, it’s actually giving it free,” Mr. Duterte said. “I think the attitude of China is really to help. So whatever there is to it, I will just on face value and say, thank you and please give to us.”

I have lost hope of getting the money from Congress, to allow us to borrow, the President added. —