(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte is abolishing the controversial Road Board which he had earlier described as a “milking cow” for corrupt politicians.
Malacanang revealed on Tuesday that the President has already signed Republic Act 11239 or “An Act Abolishing the Road Board and providing for the disposition of the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge Collections” on March 8.
“The Road Board created by Republic Act No. 8794 is hereby abolished,” the new law said.
The new law stated that “all monies collected under this Act shall be remitted to the National Treasury under a special account in the General Fund.”
This is to be “earmarked solely for the construction, upgrading, repair, and rehabilitation of roads, bridges, and road drainage to be included in the annual General Appropriations Act,” it said.
-DPWH to absorb Road Board secretariat employees-
R.A. 11239 also said that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) “shall, as needed, absorb the employees of the secretariat of the abolished Road Board, without diminution of their salaries and other benefits.”
“Employees who are separated from the service as a result of the abolition of the Road Board and its secretariat shall receive separation benefits under the provisions of Republic Act No. 6656,” it added.
It said that those employees who are qualified to retire shall be allowed to retire and receive retirement benefits to which they are entitled.
-IRR for Road Board abolition-
The secretaries of the DPWH, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Transportation were tasked to come up with the implementing rules and regulations to implement the Road Board abolition as specified in the law signed on March 8 by the President.
They were given a period of 30 days to do this from the effectivity of the Act.
The law will take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
-Source of corruption-
Last year, in a speech at the Philippine Air Force (PAF) change-of-command ceremony, President Duterte himself called for the Road Board’s abolition saying it had long been a source of corruption in the government
“I believe the Senate decided the right thing and has stated that the road tax board has to be dismantled. I have always been wary of this office because it has been a milking cow of those who are corrupt,” Duterte said.
“It’s nothing but a depository of money for corruption, walang ibang purpose ‘yan,” he added.
The Road Board is an attached agency of the DPWH which is tasked to manage billions of pesos collected from the annual road user’s tax.
