Del Mar to Dino: Let DOTr, DOF answer

CEBU, Philippines — Short of saying that Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino should shut up, Cebu City North District Representative Raul del Mar said only the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Department of Finance (DOF) are competent to answer queries about the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project.

Del Mar, who earlier asked for a congressional hearing on the alleged shortening of the BRT route, said he wants the two implementing agencies and not Dino to answer his questions.

“I did not ask him,” del Mar said in a statement.

“I asked DOTr and DOF. They can answer the questions authoritatively at a hearing to be conducted by the House Committee on Transportation,” he added.

In a privilege speech Tuesday, del Mar said the changes in the already-approved routes would deprive thousands of commuters in the originally specified areas that needed mass transportation.

He said any change in the Cebu BRT plan needs the prior approval of the Investment Coordination Committee-National Economic and Development Authority.

So do changes in the loan agreement, which must be approved by World Bank IBRD, Clean Technology Fund (CTF), and Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD).

“PAV Dino cannot answer these questions as he is not the officially designated spokesperson of the DOTr on the matter,” said del Mar adding that they must be answered during the House Committee on Transportation hearing and the answers must be officially given during the said hearing.

Del mar stressed that shortening the route and phasing are two different things.

He explained that shortening the route is a major change even if made in the guise of phasing. Which Dino practically admitted, del Mar said.

“Even a little boy knows that changing the starting point from Bulacao to SRP is shortening and not phasing. Changing the end point from Talamban to IT Park is likewise shortening and not phasing,” del Mar said.

“I appreciate Dino’s making himself available to personally explain to me his side, and I shall in the future seek it if necessary,” the congressman said.

“But it is clear that we gave different positions and the future House Committee on Transportation hearing will clarify the issue and who is right,” del Mar added. (FREEMAN)