Tugade: Gov’t to push for Congress OK on Duterte emergency power vs traffic

DOTr Sec Arthur Tugade.
INQUIRER PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC

MANILA, Philippines —Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade on Wednesday said the government will continue to ask Congress to give President Rodrigo Duterte “emergency powers” to address the crippling traffic jam in the metro’s major thoroughfare.

Tugade made the remark after Duterte, in a speech over the weekend, claimed that solving Edsa’s monstrous traffic congestion was the only campaign promise he failed to deliver so far.

READ: Duterte admits failure to solve Edsa traffic

The President blamed Congress for not granting him emergency powers he needed to ease traffic flow on Metro Manila’s busiest thoroughfare.

Asked if the government would continue its push to ask Congress to grant the President  emergency powers, Tugade said: “Of course we will push for it.”

The Transportation chief went on to back Duterte’s claim, saying that an emergency power is included in the “basket of solution” in solving the traffic woes of the metropolis.

“Tama ho ‘yung Presidente, kung naipasa lang ‘yung tinatawag na emergency power. Ito ho ay kasama sa basket of solution: nadiyan ‘yung emergency power, nandyan ‘yung MRT, nandyan yung LRT, nandyan ‘yung modernization, pati na ‘yung nagawang pagbabago ng ‘Republika Walang Plaka’ kasama ho lahat ‘yang solusyon para ‘yung issue ng traffic ay maaddress,” Tugade said.

According to Duterte, he needed emergency powers so that the government would have funds to make the necessary repairs or rehabilitation.

He said: “So look at Edsa, until now, I cannot do anything. But never did I ask [for] money without any bidding.” /je