(Eagle News)–President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, Dec. 21, said he wanted the Road Board abolished, putting an end to debates about what he believed the Road Board’s fate should be.
“I have always been wary about this office because it has been the milking cow of people who are in government,” he said of the office tasked to determine where the motor vehicle users’ charges go.
The MVUC is paid by motorists upon registration of their vehicles.
Although Duterte said he did meet with Speaker Gloria Arroyo as House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya claimed, “all along I really wanted to abolish the road tax and Andaya was one of those who said that it should be maintained.”
Duterte said that it was time for the Road Board’s function to be given to the Department of Public Works and Highways.
“Ever since, I’ve really questioned the existence of this office. It’s nothing but a depository of money and for corruption,” he said.
As for the “ruckus” in Congress, Duterte believes the senators did the right thing.
The Senate has argued the final measure abolishing the Road Board can be transmitted to Duterte for his approval even if the House, under the new Speaker Arroyo, rescinded its previous approval of a version seeking for the board’s abolition.
The Senate has said this was because the rescision took place after the Upper House adopted the House version calling for the abolition, thus doing away with the need for a bicameral conference committee reconciling the versions of the measure of the Senate and the House.
“I hate to say it but please if it’s good for the people, good for the trust deposited on the people, on government, let’s just go ahead and abolish it,” Duterte said.
