House Majority Leader and Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. has given in to the call of President Rodrigo Duterte to support the abolition of the Road Board.
In a statement sent to the media, Andaya said “the President has spoken. We heard his message to the House. We will act based on his guidance.”
Earlier, the House majority leader said there would be no Road Board abolition after he and Speaker Gloria Arroyo met with the President, who allegedly wanted the Road Board to continue and disburse funds from the road users’ tax.
Congress rescinded the abolition of the Road Board passed under the speakership of Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez.
Andaya previously said Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo might have been “misinformed” when he said the President backed the agency’s abolition, adding a proposed bill would create a special fund directly under the disposal of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Department of Transportation.
“As an institution, we will heed the President’s call. Finally, we can concentrate on the scrutiny of the 2018 budget, parked pork and P75-billion Department of Budget and Management insertions,” Andaya yesterday said.
“All is well. The public, however, needs to understand not just the abolition phase but also what is sought after that,” he added.
In Malacañang, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Saturday said Andaya was finally in touch with reality contrary to the solon’s claim he and Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno were out of touch in regard to the abolition of the graft-ridden Road Board.
In a statement, Panelo, who is also the Presidential Legal adviser, said the President was serious to abolish the road board, which is the milking cow of corrupt politicians.
Panelo said the President, pursuant to the command of the Constitution to serve and protect the people, had laid the basis of his governance at the inception of his presidency that the people’s money shall only be spent for their welfare, and those who steal from it shall be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. “©”©
“Let the President’s call for a clean and responsive government to the needs of the governed be taken to heart by those who temporarily wield political power so that our country could commence to traverse the path righteousness and progress so long denied them by those they have entrusted with authority.”
During the PAF change-of-command at Villamor Air Base, Duterte said he wanted the Road Board abolished since he assumed the presidency in 2016.”
“Ever since I assumed office, I’ve always been wary about this office because it has been the milking cow of people who are corrupt in government. Ever since I’ve really questioned the existence of this office. It’s nothing but a depository of money meant for corruption,” Duterte said.
“You know there’s a little bit of a ruckus there in Congress regarding the abolition or the continuance of the road user’s tax—board. I believe that the Senate has decided the right thing and has stated that the road tax—board has been dismantled,” he added.
Moreover, Andaya said, “if the President wants an abolition of the road board, let it be real abolition. No residues. No Three Road Kings.”
“We are in support of putting proceeds from the motor vehicle users’ charge (MUVC) as part of the General Fund. Not an off-budget item that will be spent by one person in an untransparent way,” he added.
According to Andaya, the proceeds need to be included as a line-item fund in the annual budget of the DPWH in the General Appropriations Act.
“This way, the real and full funding level of the DPWH is reflected clearly, unlike today when MVUC spending is segregated and treated as a non-national budget expenditure,” he said.
“We also prefer that non-road user activities like garbage collection be stricken off the spending menu,” he added.
“If the President will send a better bill and certify it as urgent, the House, convinced of its merits, will approve it without delay.”