Cayetano wants wide-ranging emergency powers for Duterte

by Mario Casayuran August 9, 2016

http://www.mb.com.ph/cayetano-wants-wide-ranging-emergency-powers-for-duterte/

Senator Alan Peter S. Cayetano filed yesterday a bill giving President Rodrigo Duterte wide-ranging emergency powers to address the country’s traffic crisis.

Cayetano said his Senate Bill No. 999 or the ‘’Freedom from Traffic and Congestion Act of 2016’’ is different from similar proposals of his colleagues in the 24-member Senate ‘’in that it aims to address not only land transportation traffic but air-based and sea-based congestion as well.’’

The Senate public services committee chaired by Sen. Grace Poe begins this morning a hearing on the current state of land and air transport systems where there are bills seeking to grant President Duterte emergency powers to resolve the transport crises.

Senate Minority Leader Ralph G. Recto said the congressional grant of emergency presidential powers to solve the national transport problem hinges on the presentation of ‘’clear-cut’’ plans by Malacanang.

The ‘’dimension of the emergency powers’’ will be based ’’on the problems to be solved, the specific solutions, the cost of each, and the timetable for their completion.’’

Cayetano said he filed this bill to make good on his vow to help President Duterte fulfill a campaign promise that their tandem made in the last elections.

He vowed to put in effect a “more holistic and inclusive approach” to address the worsening traffic and congestion problem.

Additionally, the bill shall cover not only Metro Manila, but all other urbanized areas that experience the same level of traffic and congestion, such as Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Metro Cebu.

Citing a report by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Cayetano said the cost of traffic in Metro Manila could likely increase from P2.4 billion to P6 billion a day if left unresolved. This means that low-income households will have to allocate more of their income for higher transport costs, he said.

“Traffic does not plague Metro Manila alone. It also affects other highly urbanized cities with no relief in sight,” Cayetano added.

“Worse, our kababayans in other regions have to wait for Manila to solve their problem. This is the fate that awaits other highly urbanized cities in the years to come if we do not create changes now. We should prevent a repeat of the past administration’s fiasco. We can’t wait for two years just to finish procurement procedures. Let’s expedite the construction of major infrastructure projects to ease traffic congestion,’’ he stressed.

Cayetano noted how severe congestion at the major runways of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has caused regular delays in flights, disrupting people’s productivity and work flow while also affecting the country’s image before the international community for having one of the world’s worst airports.

“The country’s traffic problem, both land-based and air-based, in Metro Manila and in other highly urbanized cities, has assumed the nature and magnitude of a public calamity,” he said.

“The situation has reached crisis levels and this requires no less than emergency powers for the President and concerned agencies if we are to provide urgent relief to our people’s suffering,’’ he added.