Duterte lashes out at TRB 'incompetence' over RFID mess

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday lashed out at the Toll Regulatory Board for the massive inconvenience  caused by the shift to cashless transactions at the tollways in Luzon.

Duterte said the TRB should have first tested the RFID system and how it would affect traffic at the toll gates. He then called out its members for "incompetence."

"I don't think you know what a regulator is. That's the problem," Duterte said.

“I do not want you becoming a dead wood. If you cannot perform what is expected of you, then the best you can do, for decency’s sake, resign and do not wait to be fired because masakit ‘yan, mapahiya ka,” he added.

Duterte made the remark in the presence of Secretary Arthur Tugade, who as the head of the Department of Transportation is the chairman of the TRB.

He asked Tugade if it was possible to fire members of the TRB.

“Meron pala kayong memorandum, Art. Saan ‘yung mga tao? Can I fire them? Palitan ko na lang lahat, ‘yung may experience na,” Duterte said.

Duterte also ordered Tugade to convene members of the TRB to resolve issues hounding the cashless payment system.

“Kunin mo ‘yan, Art. You members of the TRB, you report to Tugade tomorrow and discuss what you can do,” Duterte said.

Other board members include Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, and National Economic Development Authority chief Karl Chua.

Duterte blasted the TRB for its failure to conduct a trial run of the cashless payment system before mandating all motorists to comply with the use of RFID stickers.

“Ang mga regulator is another set of incompetent people. They should not have allowed the system right now to [be] put into use without a trial run for about one week at titingnan nila and anticipate what would be the problem,” he said.

The Chief Executive also sympathized with Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian, who earlier suspended the business permit of the North Luzon Expressway Corporation over the heavy traffic caused by the cashless system.

“Ando’n si mayor, galit na galit and I could understand his [anger] with all the conundrum taking place. Pati ako, magagalit talaga. I understand his burst of anger, which is justified para matauhan kayo,” Duterte said.

Tugade apologized to motorists and local government units affected by the RFID mess.

“Be assured that the inconveniences cost is not designed, is not intended,” he said. -NB, GMA News