PJ Garcia wants DOTr offices in Visayas

CEBU, Philippines —  Deputy House Speaker and Cebu Third District Rep. Pablo John "PJ" Garcia has questioned the absence of Department of Transportation (DOTr) offices in the three regions of the Visayas despite being a transportation and tourism hub.

Garcia raised the issue during a meeting of the House Committee on Visayas Development at the Capitol Social Hall last Tuesday.

Garcia said that Department of Tourism (DOT)- Region 7 Director Shalimar Tamano brought to his attention that there is no DOTr office on either Region 6, Region 7 or Region 8.

This means that there is no local body from the national department supervising the mass transportation, maritime, and air transport services in the island.

“Central Visayas, Cebu especially, is a maritime and air transport hub and a premier tourism destination. Guests fly in and take buses and inter-island ferries to their other destinations. We badly need the DOTr here,” Garcia stressed during the meeting.

Currently, there is a pending bill in Congress to create DOTr offices in the regions. But Garcia asked the committee to request DOTr to set up satellite offices here pending the approval of the bill. The House Committee is set to send the request to DOTr as soon as possible.

The need for DOTr offices carries much weight due to the recent promise made by President Rodrigo Duterte during his visit last Sunday. Duterte said he wishes to solve the traffic situation in Cebu.

The president promised to help look for funds to accelerate the mass transport system project in Cebu. FPL (FREEMAN)