Palace says Marcos won't oppose DOTr policy on taking public transport

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. will not oppose the Department of Transportation's directive for road and rail officials to take public transportation once a week, provided that the policy is reasonable. 

''Kung anuman po ang magiging polisiya ng anumang departamento kung ito naman po ay risonable at hindi po nalalabag ang karapatang pantao, hindi po iyan hahadlangan ng Pangulo,'' Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said in a briefing. 

(Whatever the policy of the department, if this is reasonable and will not violate human rights, the President will not oppose this.) 

''At maganda naman po ang magiging adhikain nito para kung sinuman po ang mga public officials natin ay talagang maranasan kung ano ang nararanasan ng mga pangkaraniwang mananakay,'' she added.

(The aspiration is also good since whoever our public officials are, they will encounter the experiences of commuters.)   

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez imposed the directive with the aim to better understand the concerns of commuters.

To be implemented on September 17, Wednesday, the memorandum aims to implement effective transportation projects and programs as these officials will experience what daily commuters have to deal with.

The following officials are obligated to commute at least once a week from their respective homes to their offices:

• Undersecretary and Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Non-Infrastructure
• Undersecretary and Director for Road Transport and Infrastructure;
• Undersecretary and Assistant Secretary for Railways;
• Assistant Secretary, Executive Director, Regional Directors and Assistant Regional Directors of  Land Transportation Office (LTO)
• Chairman, Executive Director, Regional Directors, and Assistant Regional Directors of Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)
• The Administrator of Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA)
• The General Manager of Philippine National Railways (PNR)
• The General Manager of DOTr-MRT3.

— RSJ, GMA Integrated News