Poe questions DOTr execs’ competency in fixing MRT-3 problems

Despite the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) promise of improved services by the end of February, Senator Grace Poe continued to question the competency of transport officials to solve the MRT 3 mess.

The DOTr headed by Secretary Arthur Tugade earlier assured better MRT services with brand-new spare parts for the aging train system expected to arrive this month.

READ: DOTr: Better MRT 3 service coming in February

“Tanungin natin kung naiintindihan ba talaga nila yung trabaho nila o baka mas may kailangang nakakaintindi diyan kasi ilang beses na yung pangakong napapako,” Poe said in an interview in the Senate on Wednesday when asked what the Senate committee on public services, which she chairs, would do if the DOTr fails to deliver its promise.

(Let’s ask if they really understand their job or maybe there needs to be someone who understands it more because there have been so many times that their promises have been broken.)

“Siya na mismo—binibigyan natin ng pagkakataon na siya na mismo ang maglahad ng kanyang deadline so gawin nating basehan ang kanyang sariling salita,” the senator said of Tugade.

(We gave him a chance for him to give his own deadline so let’s make his own words as the basis.)

Pressed if Tugade should step down his post if he fails to beat his own agency’s deadline, Poe did not give a categorical answer.

But the senator said such move would “send out a strong message to all of us that perhaps there’s difficulty in really understanding the scope and the demands of the job.”

“Siguro hindi lang naman ako isang makakapag-determina niyan. Hayaan mo na ang tao ang maghusga. Pagdating ng February at hindi pa rin gumaan ang sitwasyon at sila na mismo ang nagbigay ng kanilang sariling palugit e siguro dapat talaga ay magisip-isip tayo tungkol dito,” she said.

(I probably won’t be the only one determining that. Let the people judge. When February comes and the situation hasn’t improved and they will give themselves an extension, then maybe we should think about this.)

Besides, Poe said, President Rodrigo Duterte is the only one who can decide on Tugade’s fate.

“Siya (Duterte) lang naman talaga ang mayroong kapangyarihan na magdesisyon ukol dito,” she said.

(Duterte is the only one who has the power to decide on this.)

“Sana, hindi naman sa sinasabi natin, marami namang mga iba na napapailalim kay Sec. Tugade pero siguro dapat ang appointment sa mga technical na bagay katulad nga nitong train ay huwag political considerations kundi by competence and track record,” Poe added.

(I hope, not that we’re saying that there are so many other people under Sec. Tugade but maybe the appointment of technical things like this train wouldn’t be about political considerations but instead about competence and track record.) /je