Senator Grace Poe and DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Thursday clapped back at Senator Grace Poe, as it defended Secretary Arthur Tugade, whom the legislator said “did not perform” his duties amid the worsening traffic situation in Metro Manila.
DOTr refuted notions that its chief has not been performing, asserting that Tugade was all about “work, action, and less chatter.”
“Madam Senator, hindi ‘ho ugali ni Secretary Tugade ang matulog sa pansitan,” the transport department said in a statement.
“Kaya nga ‘ho nagpapatupad ang Kagawaran ng 24/7 construction at nagpapairal ng partial operability timelines dahil mismo sa kagustuhan niyang makapaghatid agad ng serbisyo-publiko sa transportasyon sa mga Pilipino,” it added.
Poe earlier said in an interview over ANC’s Headstart that Tugade “did not perform and I’m sorry to say.”
“I am not here to make people look bad, I am here to present the truth and find the solution,” she also said.
Poe has been taking Tugade to task for the metro’s traffic problems. For her, “At least when it comes to traffic and when it comes to dealing with the solutions for the traffic mess, I think somebody else should take his place.”
READ: Poe believes Tugade should be replaced amid Metro traffic woes
But DOTr averred that traffic management is not one of the agency’s mandates.
“Bakit po ba lumutang ang pangalan ni Secretary Tugade sa pagresolba ng traffic? Ito ‘ho ‘yon: Taong 2016, hiningi po na mabigyan ang Pangulo ng emergency powers upang makatulong sa pagresolba ng traffic sa bansa. Sa proposed bill na hindi naman po naisabatas, si Secretary Tugade ang nakalagay na ‘traffic czar’,” DOTr explained.
DOTr went on to further defend Tugade against criticisms he has not been doing his job, even citing numerous achievements of the agency while under his watch.
“Katunayan, kanina po ay nasa Maguindano siya para isulong ang PUV Modernization sa Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM),” DOTr noted.
“Ngayon, ay nasa Cotabato City naman siya upang makipag-usap sa Ministry of Transportation and Communication sa BARMM upang hawak kamay na maisulong nang mabilis at maayos ang mga proyektong pang-transportasyon sa lugar,” it added. /kga