Villanueva to TWG: No more ‘childish tactics, rash decisions’

MANILA, Philippines — No more “childish tactics.”

Senator Joel Villanueva on Tuesday cautioned the Department of Transportation’s technical working group (TWG) against making “rash” decisions in the future that may have an adverse effect on the public.

“Ito po ang sinasabi natin sa pagdinig kahapon tungkol sa motorcycle taxis. Huwag po tayo magpadalos-dalos sa ating mga desisyon, lalo na kung makakaapekto ito sa maraming tao,” Villanueva said in a statement.

Villanueva was referring to the TWG’s plan to prematurely terminate its study on the safety of motorcycle taxis, but later on continued.

“Their mandate comes from the LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board), and their purpose is to help create a regulatory framework. Let bygones be bygones, and the TWG must buckle down to work,” Villanueva said.

“Let the study rise and fall on its merits, not on childish tactics,”  he added.

Villanueva was among the senators, who slammed during  Monday’s hearing of the Senate committee on public services, the TWG’s  decision to  terminate the study and declare   motorcycle taxis  illegal starting next week.

Before the hearing of the committee, LTFRB board member Antonio Gardiola Jr, head  of the TWG, announced that they were terminating the the study because of legal impediments and lack of data gathered during the pilot run.

The pilot test ran from June to December last year but it was extended until  March  this year.

A day after announcing the termination, however, Gardiola backtracked, saying the study will still push through.

“We’re glad that the technical working group studying the viability of motorcycle taxis as public transports has come to its senses,” said Villanueva.