POE WELCOMES DOTr PROPOSAL, SETS EMERGENCY POWERS HEARING

Senator Grace Poe welcomed the 64-page submission by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) of specific projects and a draft bill on the emergency powers to address the transportation crisis, about a week after the legislator called on the department to lay down plans before another hearing is set.

"Natanggap na natin ang kanilang proposed projects at proposed bill para sa emergency powers noong Biyernes. Ang maliwanag dito, para sa kaalaman ng ating mga kababayan, bubuwagin na ang kapangyarihan ng LTO [Land Transportation Authority], LTFRB [Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board], pati ang MMDA [Metropolitan Manila Development Authority] at mga local government units pagdating sa pagmamanage ng traffic. Ito ay magkakaroon na ng isang central authority ng traffic na pamumunuan ng DOTr," Poe told reporters Monday.

Poe, acknowledging the urgency of the passage of the measure, said: "Lahat tayo biktima dito ng sama ng trapiko kaya gusto na namin tapusin sa Senado at kami ay nagpapasalamat nandito na 'yung plano pero kailangan madaliin din sa lahat ng mga ibang sangay ng gobyerno na ayusin ang kanilang pwedeng magawa ngayon na kahit wala pang emergency powers."

The senator, who earlier decided to hold off public hearings on the proposal in the light of lack of any feasible plans that the DOTr would implement under such powers, said her committee is already scrutinizing the DOTr proposal.

"Importante na mag-usap-usap ang mga ibang ahensya ng gobyerno kung paano magkakaroon ng mas maayos na transition ukol dito. Ngayon, ang isa pang nilagay diyan, yung mga proyekto sa pagpapalawak ng railway system at pati na rin sa ating mga airport, kasama diyan ang mga probinsya. Pero ang medyo hindi maliwanag sa atin ay ang nilagay nila na 'to decongest traffic in highly urbanized areas,' pero hindi nabanggit ang mga highly urbanized areas gaya ng Cebu, Davao at kung anu-ano ang mga proyekto na gagawin dito," Poe added.

In the meantime, the senator assured that the public services committee is continuing technical working group meetings to consult stakeholders to pave the way for a full-blown public hearing on Sept. 22.

"Mag-uumpisa sa Sept. 8 ang technical working group na mas mabusisi ang pagtatanong sa mga sector. Nagbigay sila [DOTr] ng mga suggested projects pero gusto natin malaman kung kinausap ba nila ang mga apektadong sektor. Ang pag-resume ng ating hearing ay sa Sept. 22. Dahil 64 pages 'yan [report], lahat ng local government units na maaapektuhan ay bibigyan ng pagkakataong pag-aralan ang isinumite ng DOTr. Lahat din ng iba't ibang ahensya na mabubuwag ang kapangyarihan sa trapiko ay kailangang magbigay ng kanilang suhestyon sa DOTr," Poe said.

Poe does not see any hurdle in approving the proposed emergency powers measure in the Senate, as her colleagues expressed support on the need for President Duterte's emergency powers, albeit with enough safeguards to prevent possible abuses.

DOTr's submissions to the committee included projects for road, rail and air transport sectors and details establishing a single authority to manage traffic, expediting procurement processes for transportation projects, limiting the issuance of temporary restraining orders and injunctions to the Supreme Court, exempting key transportation projects from restrictive audit rules, expediting expropriation process for right-of-way acquisitions, and reorganizing the DOTr to provide enough manpower in implementing projects.

Under the DOTr's draft bill, contracts entered into by the Executive branch, including qualifications of contractors, budgetary estimates, shall be published on a website.

The duration of authority granted to the President shall be valid for three years unless sooner withdrawn by Congress.

A congressional oversight committee will be established to be composed of five members each from the Senate and the House of Representatives.