Manila Bulletin

DOTr starts relocation of Central Office to Clark

- Lee Lik Hsin, chief executive officer of lowcost carrier Scoot, at the official launch of Scoot and TigerAir Singapore merger.

in an interview with reporters here that the company still hopes to capture its Tigerair market in the Philippine­s as well as penetrate other local routes in the future.

"We are confident that we have the right platform and we have the right brand moving forward. Awareness is one thing but building customer confidence is a different view. But we are confident," Mr. Lee said.

"The Philippine­s market is very important. It is a very big country in Asia... We do not have immediate plans but we have a high growth trajectory .... For other points in

The Department of Transporta­tion (DOTr) starts transferri­ng its Central Office to Clark, Pampanga this July 28 to boost its earnings by R9.3 million per year.

Based on computatio­ns, the transfer, which will be completed by the end of 2017, will increase the savings of the DOTr, owing to less rental and overhead costs as well as gaining potential income from opening its owned units in Columbia Tower for lease.

The move is also in line with the creation of the country’s National Government Center.

Furthermor­e, the transfer is expected to decongest traffic in Metro Manila, reduce travel time and improve the travel of motorists and boost the developmen­t in the peripherie­s of NCR.

According to a Japan Internatio­nal Cooperatio­n Agency (JICA) study, traffic congestion in Metro Manila is costing the Philippine­s at least R2.4 billion a day, which, if left without interventi­on, is likely to reach R6 billion a day by 2030.

The agency conducted a series of dialogues with DOTr employees for arrangemen­ts such as provision of free shuttle services to ferry employees to and from Clark, implementi­ng flexible time and four-day work week schedule and availabili­ty of affordable food, were formulated.

DOTr employees were also given the option to transfer or be detailed in any DOTr attached agency. Likewise, employees from DOTr attached agencies who wish to be based in Clark were also given the option to transfer or be detailed to the Department.

DOTr Secretary Arthur P. Tugade expressed his support on the creation of the National Government Center to be built in Clark to house central offices of government agencies in one location for more convenient transactio­ns.

The National Center to be built in Clark shall serve as a common location that will facilitate the convergenc­e of government agencies in terms of coordinati­ng and implementi­ng programs and services. (EVA)

 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Philippines