Press Release
September 10, 2019

GRACE POE'S CLOSING STATEMENT
Senate Public Services Committee Hearing
Sept. 10, 2019

At the outset of this public hearing, we all agreed that we need research-based and data-driven proposals to solve traffic.

The present crisis is preceded by decades of piecemeal or 'tingi-tingi' planning and implementation. For example, the idea of integrated terminals has existed since two administrations ago. It was continued in the Aquino administration with the bidding of the PITx and the Taguig ITx; and then PITx opened, only for city terminals in Laguna and Valenzuela to be designated as new provincial terminals.

What we need is a transportation system masterplan which identifies short, medium and long-term projects, with sufficient funding and achievable deadlines. Moreover, we need implementation, implementation, implementation. I think no other urban area in the world has a longer list of unimplemented plans and decades of study than Mega Manila.

We are now making this clear:

Our existing laws are sufficient for the purposes of procurement and right-of-way acquisition. The Supreme Court already issued cases and circulars addressing the delays in these cases. Clearly, for all intents and purposes, under these existing laws, a lot could've been done with or without emergency powers.

It is not the lack of powers but the lack of a master plan. We have an approved dream plan but it is unclear if our transport agencies have adopted it for implementation. The cost to implement the dream plan is less than what we are losing daily due to the traffic problem.

Tama si Senator Ralph, mas mahal pa ang ating nabubuwis sa traffic kaysa 'yung ating budget para solusyonan ang traffic.

It is not the lack of powers but the lack of a more proactive stand. We need firmer actions from the Executive who could very well function as it is, if they want to. Pukpok talaga ang kailangan.

Alam niyo po, hindi dahil sa ayaw naming masolusyonan ang trapik; kaya marami ang nagsasabing kasalanan daw namin na walang emergency powers dahil ang emergency powers daw ang makakapagbigay ng solusyon sa trapik.

Sa ating pong mga kababayan, katulad nga ng sinabi ng mga advocacy groups para sa pasahero, ako rin po, apat na oras ang ginugugol sa trapik at an average everyday.

Sino ba naman ang ayaw masolusyonan 'yan. Kung talagang ginusto--gagamitin ko rin po ang ginamit ninyo, Secretary--kung gusto may paraan, kung ayaw may dahilan. Puwede po nating gamitin sa isa't isa 'yan pero ang masasabi ko po ay ito: may mga bagay po na kahit walang emergency powers, katulad nitong MRT na dapat nasolusyonan na, na kayang solusyonan ng wala 'yan. At may mga bagay rin na kahit na may emergency powers, kung 'di rin mabilis ang aksyon katulad sa Marawi ay hindi rin magkakaroon ng pagtugon.

Mayroon namang mga lugar na walang emergency powers katulad ng Boracay kung saan nalinis ng anim na buwan.

Sa ngayon, maganda ang ating naging diskusyon na nakita natin, mayroon palang pag-uusap, ang Korte pala minsan ang nagiging balakid. Pero mayroon tayong courtesy at separate branches of government so sa ngayon, kung hihingi tayo ng emergency powers, pagtuunan natin talaga ng pansin, razor-sharp, ano ba talaga 'yon, parang Korte na, kasi may procurement na puwede pala, may emergency procurement na pinapayagan, mayroong right-of-way, so sa Korte pala nagbabara, gano'n ba 'yon?

'Yun na ngayon ang ating pag-uusap sa ating Technical Working Group, nabanggit ko na 'yan, at ako'y medyo sinabihan bakit walang technical working group? Kasi naman, 'yung ibinigay sa aming listahan, pinapa-whittle down namin to the essentials only ay hindi nagawa, kaya napuna rin tayo ng ating mga kasamahan dito. Sabi nga ni Senator Gordon, parang what we need to do is drain the pond, aba, para lang magkaroon ng emergency powers, napaka-exhaustive.

Kaya nga po, sa ngayon, nais kong sabihin sa ating mga kababayan, lahat tayo iisa ang ating hangarin ay magkaroon ng mas magandang buhay kasama ang ating mga mahal sa buhay, at maging produktibo sa ating trabaho, at mag-uumpisa din 'yan kung magiging maayos ang daloy ng trapiko at transportasyon.

With that, I would like to get your commitment, MMDA, to work, let's begin with Quezon City, how can we deploy the 30 buses that they are requesting? After you get the injunction lifted from the courts at magkakaroon nitong provincial bus ban, please identify first, Chairman Delgra, ano 'yung apat na terminals within EDSA na papayagan ninyo kasi doon pupunta ang mga pasahero in the meantime na mawawala ang mga terminals dito.

At ang Technical Working Group, Secretary Tugade, padala po kayo, mag-uumpisa na po tayo, I think within every week, mag-meeting para magkaroon tayo ng mas maayos na solusyon dito sa traffic. At sana, 'pag kayo ay inimbitahan, dahil hindi naman ako palaging naghi-hearing, ay dumalo kayo. Maraming maraming salamat po.

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