Gordon on commute dare: ‘I don’t want be laughing stock like Panelo’

Updated @ 10:45 p.m., Oct. 14, 1029

MANILA, Philippines — “I don’t want to be the laughing stock.”

Sen. Richard Gordon said this on Monday about a measure filed by Iligan City Rep. Frederick Siao mandating ranking public officials, including Cabinet secretaries, to take public transportation on Mondays.

“That’s a good suggestion, but I think that’s an impractical one because we don’t have to. We know what the traffic is. I don’t want to be the laughing stock, like Panelo. I know that there’s traffic,” Gordon told reporters in an interview at the Senate.

The senator was referring to presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo who had earlier took on the challenge to commute to Malacañang.

READ: Panelo took 4 jeepney rides, almost 4 hours in commute challenge to Malacañang

The Palace official spent almost four hours in his commute which consisted of four jeepney rides from Marikina City to the Malacañang complex.

Gordon, meanwhile, suggested maximizing the space of cars and adjusting the school hours, among other things.

“Let everyone travel together, for example, four people in one car. And those who go to out early, like the children, should also go home early,” Gordon went on in Filipino.

For his part, neophyte Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go said would be “very much willing” to use public transportation on Mondays.

“Why not? Even if I take a motorcycle every day, no problem,” he said in Filipino in a separate interview with reporters. “I will let Congressman Siao and Secretary Panelo ride in the back.”

Asked whether Siao’s proposal would really help alleviate traffic, Go said: “Whatever could help, we as senators would agree. But of course, you have look at the security of our congressmen and senators? Will they agree? That might cause even more traffic because they have a lot of security personnel.”

“But I am very willing to commute and be with all of them, even if I have to use a motorcycle just so the streets will be decongested. Whatever helps,” he added.

To lessen the vehicular congestion, Go suggested moving government centers outside of Metro Manila and placing more bridges over the Pasig River.

“Let’s create new cities, like in Malaysia,” he said. “Let’s get the government center outside of Metro Manila. The roads here are already congested. But this will take political will.”

While Go, former presidential aide, commended President Duterte’s political will, he admitted that the chief executive no longer promised to solve the country’s traffic woes.

“It’s because of the President behind the road obsctruction clearing,” Go said in Filipino. “People followed. Maybe all we need is discipline. President Duterte is the Superman I was referring to.”

In an earlier statement, Go said only “Superman” could solve Metro Manila’s traffic.

“I’m not promising that President Duterte can solve that. Even during the campaign of 2016, I myself [did not promise that],” Go went on. “He did not promise that. It’s really hard. Maybe it could be lessense, give a bit of a solution to traffic. But to solve it [completely], it’s really very hard to solve traffic in Metro Manila. People and vehicles keep increasing. So let’s just help each other.”

The Preside3nt had previously admitted that he failed to fulfill his campaign promise to ease Edsa traffic due to the refusal of Congress to grant him emergency powers.

READ: Duterte: I’ve fulfilled every promise I made except solving Edsa traffic

/atm