DOTr seeking to spare LTO, LTFRB, MMDA, LGUs from traffic duties —Poe

The Department of Transportation is asking Congress to remove traffic management powers from several government agencies and local government units and delegate them to a proposed central authority under the DOTr, Senator Grace Poe told reporters on Monday.

Poe made the remark after the DOTr submitted to the Senate Committee on Public Services its proposed bills and projects when President Rodrigo Duterte is given emergency powers the administration is asking from Congress.

The national agencies that the DOTr want spared from traffic management include the Metro Manila Development Authority, Land Transportation Office, and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

"Ang maliwanag dito, para sa kaalaman ng ating mga kababayan, bubuwagin na ang kapangyarihan ng LTO, LTFRB, pati ang MMDA at mga local government units pagdating sa pagma-manage ng traffic. Ito ay magkakaroon na ng isang central authority ng traffic na pamumunuan ng DOTr," Poe said in an ambush interview.

Poe urged the government agencies and LGUs to coordinate with the DOTr for a smoother transition of powers to the central body.

"Siguro iyan ay si [DOTr] Secretary [Arthur] Tugade at ang kanyang mga maa-appoint dito. Importante na mag-usapusap ang mga ibang ahensya ng gobyerno kung paano magkakaroon ng mas maayos na transition ukol dito," Poe said.

The DOTr pointed three sectors the government will invest in to address traffic and congestion: road, rail, and air transport sectors.

In the road sector, the DOTr pushed for two metro bus rapid transit lines (from Manila to Quezon City and another covering EDSA up to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport) and two integrated transport system terminals along Coastal Road and FTI Compound.

DOTr eyes the continuation of the extension of LRT Lines 1 and 2 to Cavite and Masinag, Antipolo to Pier 4 respectively, and the construction of four new mass rail systems aside from the ongoing MRT Line 7 project from Quezon City to Bulacan.

The agency also aims to increase the capacity of the existing railway lines.

Meanwhile, the DOTr pushed for the extension of the Philippine National Railway commuter lines in the north to Bulacan and Pampanga and in the south to Laguna.

A separate railway system is proposed for Mindanao, Cebu, and Central Philippines.

Decongesting air traffic at NAIA remains a top concern for DOTr in the air transport sector and sought for legislation to allow the government to redistribute flights and promote alternative gateways.

The DOTr said it would also install more CCTV cameras, construct runway overlays and exit taxiways to improve the country's airports ,and allow night-time flights in sine areas.

Manila-centric proposals

Poe, however, said the DOTr proposal seemed focused on Metro Manila since it did not specify major projects for other highly urbanized cities such as Cebu and Davao.

"Ang medyo hindi maliwanag sa atin ay ang nilagay nila na 'to decongest traffic in highly urbanized areas,' pero hindi nabanggit ang mga highly urbanized areas gaya ng Cebu, Davao at ung anu-ano ang mga proyekto na gagawin dito," Poe said.

"Parang lumalabas lamang ay dito sa Metro Manila nakasentro ang mga plano so gusto natin, ang mga proyekto na agarang maiibsan ang problema sa traffic ay maging malinaw para sa atin kasi marami diyan long-term talaga," she added.

Poe said she would clarify the details with the DOTr during the meeting of technical working groups. —NB, GMA News