The traffic situation in Metro Manila cost the country around 3 billion pesos ($64 million) a day, that’s why the incoming President Rodrigo Duterte wants to have emergency powers to solve the traffic woes and threat the entirety situation as a crisis.
If not, the what’s a crisis?
Incoming transportation secretary Arthur Tugade said the entire situation is clearly a crisis and must be treated as such because of it’s ability to deteriorate every life of commuters.
“The crisis will have to be declared by Congress. That’s the law. Hopefully, Congress will help us so that the proposal can be implemented,” Tugade told reporters.
“Nabababoy na ang kabuhayan natin… kung di ito crisis, ano ang crisis (Our livelihood is being destroyed and if that’s not a crisis, what is)?” he asked.
The emergency powers will be decided by congress and it will last up to two years and with this power the government can tap into private subdivisions and villages with the metro to ease traffic.
“Will it be confiscatory? No. Will it be unreasonable? No, because when subdivisions are affected, you have to compensate for the road maintenance and security. If you get properties to address traffic congestion, you won’t confiscate it. There will be compensation,” he said.
“It will not be exercised capriciously and arbitrarily. It will have to be exercised in the interest of the majority and the interest of common good. We will not open all subdivisions,” he added.
Everyone needs to pinch in
Acknowledging that acquiring emergency powers is a tough road to take, he also said the everyone should pinch in and sacrifice for the good of the country.
“We all have to feel the pinch. All of us have to sacrifice,” the incoming transportation chief said.
“We have been beset by lack of discipline. We have to raise the level of discipline and to do that, personal sacrifice is needed,” he said.
Source from TrendTitan
