Sen. Grace Poe (File photo by LYN RILLON / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
On Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade’s request, the Senate committee on public services has decided to reset its hearing on the government’s jeepney modernization program to Monday (December 11) next week.
The committee, chaired by Senator Grace Poe, was set to hold the hearing this Thursday to listen to transport groups’ opposition to the modernization scheme.
“Nakiusap si Secretary Tugade kung pwede iurong ang hearing natin sa Lunes. Sinabi naman nya na magpapadala sana sya kung Thursday matutuloy ang hearing ng mga undersecretaries nya,” Poe said.
“Pero ako na mismo ang nag-decision at aapela ako dun sa Piston at sa ibang group na sa tingin ko naman ang layunin nila ay makaharap miso si Secretary Tugade.”
“Kaya ako na mismo ang nag-decision na kung Lunes sya available,hindi ko sya pinakawalan e, sabi ko bigyan nyo ako ng petsa kung hindi kayo pwede ng Thursday, sabi nya Lunes daw available sya. Kaya itututoy natin ang public hearing…,” Poe added.
On the senator’s promise that the committee would conduct the hearing on Thursday, the No to Jeepney Phaseout Coalition led by Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) decided to cancel the jeepney strike slated this Monday and Tuesday.
READ: Jeepney strike cancelled by protest leaders
During Monday’s hearing of the congressional oversight committee on Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, which was also presided over by Poe, the senator reminded Tugade about the separate hearing this Thursday on the planned jeepney phase out.
“Kasi Ma’am talagang meron ho akong mga signing ng mga agreement tungkol ho dun sa MRT (Metro Rail Transit),” he said.
Besides, he said, he only learned about the invitation to attend the hearing on Thursday through the media. /kga