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Friday, March 29, 2024

Traffic powers hearing starts today

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THE HOUSE committee on transportation will begin Thursday its hearing on proposals filed in Congress granting emergency powers to President Rodrigo Duterte to solve traffic woes in Metro Manila.

The committee, chaired by Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento, is inclined to grant the President his desired special powers as soon as parameters for said powers are thorougly discussed and agreed on by the lawmakers.

“Our agenda would be on various bills on emergency powers,” Sarmiento said in a text message.

This developed as Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez thumbed down the proposal to open up the roads of private subdivisions in Metro Manila as alternate traffic routes to commuters in the search for ways to ease the traffic gridlock.

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But Alvarez, secretary general of the ruling Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), said he has no onjections to foregoing public bidding of road projects in favor of direct contracting to speed up construction as long as the process is transparent.

“In procurement perhaps yes [to no bidding], but to be able to enter subdivisions, I personally am not in favor of that,” said Alvarez, one of the principal authors to the proposed emergency powers to be given to the Presisent.

In separate interviews, Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez, Quezon City

Rep. Winston Castelo and Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu rallied support for the immediate passage of several measures granting emergency powers to Duterte to solve what has evolved into a traffic crisis in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

“Let us support President Duterte’s strong resolve to address the worsening traffic. Congress should work on urgent related measures and policies to rectify the traffic situation because no one is spared from the crisis,” said Romualdez, wife of former House Independent Bloc Leader and ex-Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez.

Castelo, chair of the House committee on Metro Manila development, stressed: “Congress should support this very important proposal to put an end to traffic congestion that costs more than a billion pesos per day due to lost productivity.”

For his part, Abu, a co-author to Alvarez’s bill on emergency powers, expressed readiness for Congress to grant emergency powers to the President under justiable reasons and conditions within the bounds of law.

“The powers to be given to President Duterte in clearing all obstacles in major roads will instill a sense of discipline among the commuters and riding public,” Abu said.

Sarmiento reiterated their commitment to grant emergency powers to Duterte which he declared last week as approved in principle.

“This (grant of emergency powers) is our top priority and we will grant him his desired emergency powers under the context of what is legal and constitutional because traffic woes become a national crisis,” Sarmiento said.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and heads of the attached agencies of the DOTr are expected to attend the congressional hearing.

Aside from Alvarez and Abu, some of the authors of emergency powers include former President-turned Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr., Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles, and Bohol Rep. Arthur Yap.

The proposed emergency powers shall authorize the President to enter into negotiated contracts for the construction, repair, rehabilitation, improvement or maintenance of critical infrastructure, projects and facilities, subject to certain requirements.

Under procurement rules, government projects should be subjected to a public bidding to ensure that government gets the most affordable and quality transaction. But the alternative—direct contracting—is allowed as long as it is justified.

The special powers shall also empower the President to reorganize the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to make it more effective, innovative and responsive to the traffic crisis in Metro Manila.

The measure may supersede local ordinances that prohibit measures to ease traffic, and prevent injunctions on road projects which were stalled due to legal issues of right of way.

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