DOTr acting secretary on taking public transportation: 'Isang parusa'
Department of Transportation Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez took the bus during rush hour on Commonwealth Avenue on Sept. 15 to get to his office.
On the same day, he issued a directive ordering officials of DOTr to commute at least once a week.
"Sabi ko pagkatapos ng aking pag-ko-commute, ''Di pwedeng ako lang. Damay-damay tayo dito, 'yung may interes sa kalsada, lansangan at sa riles," Lopez said in an interview with DZMM Teleradyo on Sept. 16.
Apart from obligating the agency heads to commute, he tasked them to submit a weekly accomplishment report detailing their observations, recommendations, and plans of action to improve the commuting experience.
Among the DOTr officials mandated to commute weekly are the Undersecretary and Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Non-Infrastructure; Undersecretary and Director for Road Transport and Infrastructure; Undersecretary and Assistant Secretary for Railways; Assistant Secretary, Executive Director, Regional Directors, and Assistant Regional Directors of the LTO; Chairman, Executive Director, Regional Directors, and Assistant Regional Directors of the LTFRB; the Administrator of the Light Rail Transit Authority; the General Manager of the Philippine National Railways; and the General Manager of DOTr-MRT3.
To see that there are improvements, Lopez said that there would be checks every week.
"Para alam nila na seryoso tayo, babantayan natin linggo-linggo."
'Isang parusa'
Lopez took the bus along Commonwealth Ave. in Quezon City to work on Monday—an experience he described as a "punishment."
"Isang parusa. Napakahirap. Nakakapagod, atsaka ang tingin ko parang nasa digmaan kami, parang giyera," he said about commuting in the metro.
"Kanya-kanyang habol ng masasakyan na bus," the acting secretary continued.
He also told DZMM that he waited about an hour to hop on a bus and estimated about 90 people were cramped into the 65-capacity PUV he rode.
"Ang gulo. Walang sistema, kulang sasakyan," Lopez shared.
"Kaya gusto kong maramdaman ng aking mga kasamahan. 'Di totoo ang mga binibigay na report at kailangan niyong maramdaman. Iba 'yung naririnig at sinasabi, iba rin 'yung nakikita at nararamdaman."
Other plans
To keep PUJ and bus stops orderly, the acting secretary said he had called on the Land Transportation Office and the Philippine Coast Guard to deploy more personnel.
"Ang mga tao kasi sa experience namin, kapag meron lang [enforcer], makikinig naman. Para may linya," Lopez noted.
He also asked the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to approve more franchises for transport cooperatives to ply routes like Commonwealth. "Kung kailan madami ang tao, kailan rush hour, mag-deploy sila," he said.
Lopez has also asked the road sector to study the creation of a hybrid carousel for buses from Commonwealth Ave. to Quezon Ave.
