SPEAKER Pantaleon Alvarez slammed some officials of the Department of Transportation whom he accused of defending the interests of big corporations instead of the interests of the whole nation.
“I want to know whose interest you are serving in the Department of Transportation,” said Alvarez, who was himself a former secretary of transportation and communications. “It seems that large corporations put their people in areas of their core business in every administration.”
“And then when the administration of one president is over, they return to their mother corporations. That was done by [former] secretaries [Rene] Almendras, [Rogelio] Singson, [Joseph Emilio] Abaya and [Finance secretary Cesar] Purisima,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez reiterated that the House leadership is bent on supporting the success of the Duterte administration, which is why he wants to make sure that everyone will work for the interest of the government.
“We will look at your budget’s integrity or whether the interests of your principals are involved. Let’s be frank and blunt about this,” Alvarez declared.
But DoTR Secretary Arthur Tugade assured Alvarez that he personally handpicked his team in the department and is confident of their expertise, integrity and the heart to really serve the public.
“I need them so I will be guided [properly],” Tugade said. “But if I see conflict of interest, I will not wait for an investigation. I will immediately ax them because I am here to serve the nation and our President,” Tugade said.
“I will not surround myself with people who have vested interests. If I see conflict of interest, I will not take that sitting down,” he stressed.
Although it may seem that little has been done to address the problems plaguing the department, Tugade assured congressmen that he is on top of everything and making sure that all legalities are considered.
He said his department will deliver on the promises made by Duterte, more so if they will be granted special powers to accelerate the implementation of their plans and programs.
Majority Floor Leader Rudy Fariñas reminded the DoTR officials of the significant relationship between the departments and the House of Representatives, as the one with the mandate to exercise the power of the purse.
He said that, in the performance of its mandated functions, the department should put the interests of all Filipinos above everything else.
Meanwhile, Alvarez advised DoTr’s air transport sector Undersecretary Roberto Lim, who admitted that he has only visited Davao Airport in his 70 days in office, to personally visit all the 80 airports in the country to know the real situation on the ground.
Alvarez likewise reminded the department, through Undersecretary Annelie Lontoc, on the still unresolved issues of unissiued license plates, driver’s licenses and vehicle registration certificates.
“I am worried about that because the President always mentioned that during the campaign. But it has been almost 100 days since he was elected and there are still no car plates, still no licenses and no OR/CR,” he added.