DOTr’s journey to 2017
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade is one of President Duterte’s “Chosen” who is possibly the most open with the press. He does have a few “chosen” media persons who, he says, are not “misinterpreting” his moves and are relaying the right information. And he needs allies, not adversaries, in his burden-heavy job. He told our select group, “There are two ways to fail in government. Listen to nobody, and listen to everybody.”
I must comment that while he is not the original author of sources of discontent – if not cursing – of the public, he is being blamed for the traffic mess in the streets, on the air, and in the seas.
I admit that there are miraculous days when Metro Manila streets are clear, and motorists shake their heads and ask in happy disbelief, “What happened?” But, I too admit that almost everyday, the traffic mess is hell.
Art, which is how he tells media to call him, showed us a 60-page report on the Department of Transportation’s accomplishments covering the period July to December 2016 in addressing the gargantuan problems he is being blamed for.
First, on long-pending issues:
• SM, Ayala, San Miguel, Department of Public Works and Highways, identified the single location for a Common Station geared to provide a seamless intermodal connectivity between LRT Line 1, MRT Line 3, and the proposed MRT Line as between SM North and Trinoma Malls.
• Drivers’ License Cards have been made available, and LTO will issue DLS with five years validity on the 2nd quarter of 2017.
• After years of unsettled disputes with STRADCOM, DOTr is now allowed to proceed with the bidding for a new IT service provider covering hardware, software, and data component requirements.
• The approved Communications Navigation Surveillance/Air Traffic Management project shall provide a more efficient, economic and safer air traffic flow, that enables aircraft operators to meet their departure and arrival schedule.
• The Bicol International airport will open in two years after 11 years of delay.
• The Supreme Court directs the government to pay PIATCO the amount of P20 billion, with a P2 million interest for each day of delayed payment. On Sept. 30, 2016, Secretary Tugade ordered to settle the payment of $472.9 million to PIATCO, saving the government interest payment of P2 million per day.
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On the painfully awaited easing of the traffic mess in Metro Manila, DOTr initiated improvements which will not totally solve the traffic jams until Congress grants it emergency powers specifically geared towards solving Metro Manila’s traffic problem.
DOTr created the Inter-Agency Council l (i-ACT) unifying the Metro Manila Development Authority, PNP-Highway Patrol Group, LTO, and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to work on harmonizing traffic laws, ordinances, and penalties with local government units.
i-ACT implements stricter enforcement against colorum, illegally parked vehicles, and illegal sidewalk vendors. It suspended window hours for coded vehicles in EDSA, Roxas Boulevard, Mandaluyong, and all circumferential and radial roads, and prohibits mall owners and operators from holding mall sales during weekdays, and limits delivery of supplies between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. only.
i-ACT and Metro Manila mayors and traffic managers from various local government units have agreed: not to build additional provincial bus terminals along EDSA; observance of “nose in-nose out policy” (buses enter from one end and exit at the other end); total ban on tricycles, pedicabs, “kuliglig” and pushcarts in the circumferential and radial roads in Metro Manila; regulate conduct of fun runs on Roxas Boulevard, and observe the moratorium on releasing additional franchises for buses.
To decongest EDSA, Camp Aguinaldo and Veterans Memorial Medical Center have been opened to private motorists. At the dinner with media, Secretary Tugade said private housing villages are allowed to let motor vehicles pass, with the government paying for the salaries of guards, and ensuring security measures.
i-ACT relaunched the Pasig River Ferry with shuttle service from Guadalupe station to Uptown Mall and from Escolta station to Lucky Chinatown Mall and Divisoria area. Four express ferry service were also added to transport passengers to and from Guadalupe-Plaza Mexico during rush hours.
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In the aviation and airports sector, no one missed a flight for having a singular bullet in possession.
Four additional airports have been night-rated – Roxas, Legazpi, Dumaguete and Caticlan. There are now 19 (out of 42) night-landing airports. Night-landing enables airports to accommodate flights after sunset.
Under the five-minute rule, pilots who declare they are ready to take off must depart within the prescribed time or they would be placed at the back of the queue. By strictly following flight schedules and enforcing the five-minute rule, the on-time performance (OTP) of airlines at the NAIA improved from 47 per cent to 78 percent.
For better terminal experience, NAIA terminals have cleaner toilets; 200 seats have been added for passengers waiting for their flights, while 500 more seats are being ordered; Wi-Fi service is available in all NAIA terminals; regular taxis are allowed to queue up and pick up passengers at designated points, and 21 premium Mercedes Benz buses have been launched to ferry passengers from NAIA to Makati and Roxas boulevard.
This column will continue to print DOTr improvements and plans for 2017 in a subsequent column.
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In fairness, I’m reproducing a comment by [email protected] in reaction to my column (Jan 17) “What the Heck is Electoral College?”.
“The Electoral College prevents liberals and minorities that dominate in New York and California from automatically deciding the U.S. president every four years. There are millions of poor people in those states who vote that Hillary’s political party (Democrats) will continue to throw government benefits (free money) at them. Hillary won the ‘popular vote’ because of millions of imported welfare-dependent Mexicans into California. Ineligible illegals were encouraged to vote Hillary.
“America’s Founding Fathers wanted ALL states to have a say in the election. After eight years of liberal failed governing of the economy because of job loss due to bad trade agreements, Trump’s message of ‘America first’ economically resonated with voters in 31 of 50 states. Trump is already wealthy and did not need the donations that Hillary did whose donors would expect ‘favors’ in return. Nobody owns Trump. In spite of liberal propaganda, he is NOT racist, sexist, or homophobic and the diverse tens of thousands of employees worldwide prove it. He shocked the polls and the experts by winning because working people were fed up with the elitists in Washington DC who cared only about pandering to minorities.
“My question to you is......why did you ‘adopt’ Hillary Clinton? Her corruption while Secretary of State enriched her by hundreds of millions of dollars to her ‘Foundation’ from foreign governments. I would think that sort of behavior would be very familiar to you.”
My answer to ajoe2017: I have observed Trump’s and Clinton’s behavior. If I were a voter in America, I would vote for Clinton.
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