LEADERS of the House of Representatives have filed their own version of a measure that will supposedly address the land traffic crisis in key metropolises in the country.
Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento, chairman of the House committee on transportation, filed House Bill 4334, or the “Traffic Crisis Act of 2016, as the Duterte administration’s “urgent, immediate and comprehensive” response to the traffic problem plaguing Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Davao City.
The filing of the measure, that was principally authored by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, the form of the proposal appeared to be a repudiation of the version submitted by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.
“It will be proposed and to be adopted as the model bill this Wednesday and will hopefully be approved by the Committee by next week,” Sarmiento said.
He said the filing of the measure was a collective effort of the House leadership to address the traffic crisis at the soonest possible time as the committee has conducted 10 committee hearings on the traffic crisis.
The House committee on transportation also used as reference, among others, the book “Larga Pinas” which outlined the issues observed and policies recommended by the Committee during the last 16th Congress.
Sarmiento said his panel will deliberate on the provisions of the bill during its Technical Working Group scheduled Wednesday next week, November 23.
HB 4334 defines the scope and limits of the land traffic crisis in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Davao City.
The bill provides that the secretary of the Department of Transportation is also designated under the bill as the ex-officio traffic chief.
The bill states that the traffic chief shall be given the power to also implement similar mechanisms and systems provided in the bill to other cities and municipalities around the country, which may suffer from a traffic crisis.
During the effective period of this act, the bill provides the traffic chief shall have the power of supervision and control over: Metro Manila Development Authority; Cebu Coordinating Council, Philippine National Police-Traffic Management Group, Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board, Road Board, all other executive agencies, bureaus and offices with roles pertaining to land transportation regulation and Davao Traffic Administration.
“The traffic chief, as alter ego of the President, shall have power of supervision over all local government units within the Metropolitan Areas,” the measure provides.
However, the bill emphasizes that such power of control/or supervision shall be fore the sole and limited purpose of implementing the act and enforcing all rules, regulations, policies, and programs enacted pursuant thereto, harmonizing and enforcing all traffic rules and regulations, implementing a unified traffic system, throughout each of the metropolitan areas, and carrying out all priority projects and programs approved in accordance with the act.
Under the bill, the traffic chief’s shall the following powers, authority and functions under and during the effective period of this act or three years:
The bill states the traffic chief, together with the undersecretaries, assistant secretaries, and directors of the DOTs and MMDA are required to take public land, rail, maritime and aviation transportation, primarily used by the masses, at least once a week to monitor the traffic crisis.
The measure also underscores the traffic chief and affected private stakeholders, shall formulate a separate traffic management program for each of the metropolitan areas.
The bill provides the route-rationalization plan for PUVs shall be submitted to the joint congressional committee within six months.
The bill states public transportation operators affected by DOTr projects or policies carried out pursuant to this act that lead to a revocation of franchise, shortening of routes, or reductions of covered PUV units shall be compensated based on the number of units affected or rendered redundant.