DOTr says traffic management not part of its mandate
(Eagle News)–Senator Grace Poe believes Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade should be replaced because of the unresolved traffic problems on Edsa.
In an interview over ANC’s Headstart, Poe said with respect to traffic, Tugade “did not perform.”
“That’s what they keep saying, ‘E papaano naman? E hindi naman sa amin ang MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) at HPG (Highway Patrol Group)?’ Oo pero sa Inyo rin naman ang LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board), sa inyo rin naman ang ibang ahensya ng gobyerno,” she said.
Poe expressed hope “that this administration will also look at the experiences of the past administration and see that if you don’t change leadership fast enough, you lose precious time.”
She said for instance then-Transportation Secretary Emilio Abaya was “one of the reasons” that “caused the downfall” of former President Benigno Aquino III.
She said the former President trusted Abaya too much, but there was “failure in delivering a lot of what needed to be delivered in the (Department of Transportation and Communications) at that time.”
“Even if you trust that person, you have to see how effective that person is in that job. I think that is the primary role of an executive,” Poe said.
‘Not part of DOTr mandate’
But in a statement posted on the Department of Transportation’s Facebook account, Tugade dismissed Poe’s remarks.
“Sus, masyadong bilib sa sarili,” Tugade said.
He also slammed Poe, saying he only serves “at the pleasure of the President” and “not on the whims, caprice and theatrics of misguided politicians.”
“Pati ba naman posisyon ko pinakikialaman nya?” Tugade said.
In any case, the DOTr said traffic management was not part of the agency’s mandate.
The DOTr said Tugade’s name as traffic czar was only included in a proposed bill that aims to give Duterte emergency powers to help solve traffic problems in the country.
The bill, however, was never passed into law.
“Sana po malinaw. Hindi ‘ho sa naghuhugas ng kamay. Nagsasabi lamang ‘ho ng totoo,” the DOTr said.
Besides, the agency said it was “unfair” to say Tugade was “underperforming” because this was not true.
The DOTr said in the first three years of the Duterte administration, the following were only some of the accomplishments of the agency:
-the completion of 64 airport projects in the entire country
– the continued construction of 133 airport projects
– the completion of 220 commercial and social/tourism port projects
– the continued implementation of 121 commercial and social/tourism port projects
– the start of construction of 4 railway projects
– the continued construction of 2 other railways
– the opening of one landport
– the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program where 952 transport cooperatives participated
“Madam Senator, hindi ‘ho ugali ni Secretary Tugade ang matulog sa pansitan. Kaya nga ‘ho nagpapatupad ang Kagawaran ng 24/7 construction at nagpapairal ng partial operability timelines dahil mismo sa kagustuhan niyang makapaghatid agad ng serbisyo-publiko sa transportasyon sa mga Pilipino,” the agency said.
The DOTr said in fact, Tugade was in Maguindanao to promote PUV modernization in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao early in the day.
At present, the DOTr said amid the heavy rains, the secretary is in Cotabato City to talk to the Ministry of Transportation and Communication of BARMM to promote transportation projects there.
“‘Yan po ang aming Kalihim. TRABAHO, GAWA, at hindi puro salita.Salamat po,” the DOTr said.
