Amid RFID mess, TRB chair Tugade says he's not informed of most issues at agency

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, the chairman of the Toll Regulatory Board, on Thursday admitted that there was a failure in the implementation of cashless transactions in the tollways in Luzon.

Tugade, the chairman of the TRB, indicated that he was particularly upset over RFID audit getting done only once in two years--something he said he discovered only recently.

"Nakita ko ho, usapang prangka lang ito, nakita ko ho na there is a failure of implementation dito sa TRB kaya nga sinabi ko kailangan tugunan natin ito," Tugade said during the Senate Committee on Public Services hearing.

"Nag-init po ang ulo ko diyan. Bakit naman once every two years ang audit sa RFID? Hindi ba dapat mapabilis 'yan?" he added.

"Kung a-addressin natin ang problema after two years, bilasa na ang manok, hindi pa naso-solusyunan ang problema," Tugade said.

After telling the committee of the TRB's failures amid the RFID , it was pointed out to Tugade that he was the chairman of its board.

Tugade said he had assigned an alternate to attend the board meetings.

"Tama ho bang nakakarating sa amin 'yung mga nangyayari sa board? Minsan oo, karamihan ho hindi," Tugade said.

Tugade said he had ordered the TRB to deploy roving and stationed toll marshalls, conduct regular monthly audits with daily reports of the toll marshalls, and intensify their enforcement.

TRB Executive Director Abraham Sales said the results of the audit conducted by the regulatory body are being shown to the tollway operators so that issues can be addressed.

"Ito pong RFID, ito ay napatupad sa NLEX noong 2017... Nagkaroon na po kami ng dalawang audit po dito sa operational aspect nitong sistema na ito," Sales said.

"'Yun pong mga result na mga audit pong 'yan, naibibigay po sa mga operator at napagsasabihan po sila na i-corect ang mga nakita naming diprensya diyan," he added.

The local government leaders from Valenzuela and Bulacan, however, said they experienced no improvement in the past years, specifically in the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).

Sales admitted that there had been no sanction for erring tollway operators but it is something that is being planned by the TRB after the RFID mess.

This irked Senator Sherwin Gatchalian who had earlier called for the replacement of Sales.

"Mayroon kayong kapangyarihan hindi ninyo ginagamit. Narinig niyo na ho ba 'yung regulatory capture? Captured na ho ang TRB! Pinagtatawanan lang ho tayo ng mga operator," the senator said.

Tugade said the deficiency of the TRB will be addressed through management evaluation. -NB, GMA News