RECONSIDER GRANT OF EMERGENCY POWERS- REVILLA

Senate Committee on Public Services Vice Chairman Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. is set to ask the Committee led by Senator Grace Poe to reconsider its decision not to grant the President Emergency Powers to address the worsening traffic conditions in the country.

The lawmaker filed a resolution (P.S. Res. No. 133 ) calling for a national public transport summit to come up with a comprehensive traffic management plan that would lay down the short, medium, and long term programs and solutions to the traffic crisis.

He cited these will go hand in hand since the formulation of programs will take time before they can even be finalized and implemented. In the meantime, the Executive, the solon said, should be given powers to act immediately so that the crisis does not worsen further.

"Totoo na marami namang kapangyarihan sa kasalukuyan kahit wala pang emergency powers. Pero mabagal ang usad dahil sa daming proseso at burukrasya. Emergency powers will facilitate and speed up the action of government," Bong Revilla explained. "And the Legislature will be there every step of the way exercising its oversight," the lawmaker added.

The veteran lawmaker also asked for cooler heads to prevail, saying the heated exchanges of officials could be a result of mutual frustration over how the situation could be addressed.

"Grabe na talaga ang traffic. Ang road rage hindi na lang sa kalsada. Iisa lang naman ang gusto natin, ma-solve ang problema. We have to come to a consensus para magawa 'yan," he explained.