House won’t pass emergency powers next month

The House of Representatives will not be able to pass the proposed emergency powers on traffic for President Duterte next month.

In a radio interview yesterday, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said he has misgivings on the plan to allow the negotiation of contracts for trafficrelated projects estimated to cost P8 trillion.

He blamed the Department of Transportation for the delay in the approval of the emergency powers bill.

“It will be difficult to pass the bill because the DOTr has been uncooperative,” he said.

The bill seeks to designate Transportation Secretary Ar- thur Tugade as traffic czar who, as Duterte’s alter ego, would exercise the special powers to be given to the President.

Alvarez said DOTr officials have not been clear, specific and forthcoming on the projects they intend to undertake, and the emergency authority they need to undertake those projects and ease traffic congestion.

“We need a detailed plan so we will know what they really intend to do and what kind of emergency powers can we give,” he said.

Alvarez said Congress could not just grant a blanket authority to Tugade, given his lackluster performance.

“I am the principal author of that bill, but we cannot just give them blanket authority for the emergency powers they are seeking when we do not know what their plan is,” he said.

“Because if the DOTr has no plan, how can we give them emergency powers for the next two years? And then after the two-year period they will seek an extension because they have not yet finished planning.”

Alvarez said that the main traffic problem, which is land transportation, can actually be solved efficiently even without emergency powers.

As for his misgivings on the negotiation of contracts, he said, “Negotiated contracts are dangerous. If we just follow the process – there is publication and we undergo bidding – we can finish these projects quickly. I don’t think we need to enter into negotiated contracts.”

Alvarez earlier raised the issue of conflict- of- interest against Tugade’s undersecretaries, whom he accused of having personal or company interest to protect.

“You cannot just do away with the provisions of the procurement law. What will happen when we award flagship projects? These are big-ticket items,” he said.

Kintanar resigns

Transportation Secretary Tugade has accepted the resignation of Noel Kintanar as undersecretary for rails and toll ways.

In a statement yesterday, the DOTr said Kintanar’s resignation would take effect on Nov. 29.

“Mr. Kintanar said he would like to give Secretary Tugade a free hand in addressing any and all misconceptions or doubts as to the impartiality and independence of the DOTr in addressing the many issues and concerns on transportation,” read the statement.

Kintanar’s appointment has been questioned for possible conflict-of-interest.

Kintanar was previously an executive of Ayala Corp., which is involved in publicprivate partnership program projects like the Light Rail Transit Line 1 Cavite Extension, Automatic Fare Collection System and the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway.

Kintanar said the government was looking to implement various railway projects.

Among the rail projects being eyed is Line 5 or the subway to link the business districts in Metro Manila to ease congestion on roads.

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