(Eagle News)–Senator Grace Poe is still not convinced President Rodrigo Duterte needs to be given emergency powers for the traffic problem in Metro Manila to be resolved.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Sept. 10, Poe, the chair of the Senate committee on public services, said there were other things that the Department of Transportation could do on its own without the powers.
During her panel’s hearing on the proposed bus ban on Edsa, Poe said the DOTr had the authority to procure trains, acquire the road right of way, among others.
“Sana naman ‘yung mga bumubulong sa Pangulo sabihin din ang totoo na marami ring hindi nagawa na pwede na sanang nagawa ngayon,” Poe told reporters.
According to Poe, she would convene a technical working group so the DOTr could explain if their listed projects could not be done without the emergency powers.
“Hopefully we will have our TWG every week so starting next week umpisa na,” Poe said.
Senator Francis Tolentino has filed a bill aiming to give Duterte emergency powers to address traffic not only in Metro Manila but also in other urbanized cities.
It was President Duterte who first asked for the emergency powers, noting the worsening traffic on Edsa, one of Metro Manila’s main thoroughfares.
