On Mon, Apr 25, the same day that the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) broke down yet again, Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Joseph Emilio “Jun” Abaya reiterated that many of the plans laid out by the different presidential candidates during the third and last installment of the PiliPinas Debates 2016 are already being implemented by his department.
“My prediction listening to the questions, ang tantya ko, ang isasagot nila ay iyung ginagawa na natin (When I was listening to them, I predicted and anticipated that they would all refer to things that we are already doing). True enough, if you listen to all answers, even the biggest critic of our department, they admitted that there’s no silver bullet for the transportation sector),” Abaya said in an interview with Jacque Manabat of ABS-CBN News.
It may be recalled that Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte had mentioned that “there is no silver bullet or immediate answer to solving the traffic woes in Metro Manila.”
The ABS-CBN News report noted: “Abaya agreed with the proposal of Liberal Party bet Mar Roxas to merge the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). However, he said he will not volunteer to head the merged departments.”
Abaya went on to say that “other suggestions such as procuring additional coaches, extending railways and instituting reforms in the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) were already implemented or are now in the pipeline.”
He stated, “We’re already doing it. Iyung idea nila, pa-planuhin pa lang nila, i-e-execute pa lang nila, tayo ginagawa na natin. Ripe for the picking lang ang departamento. Madaling hanapan ng butas, madaling sabuyan ng kritisismo (Their ideas, when they’re just planning them or about to execute them, we’re already doing it. It’s just that the department is ripe for the picking. It’s easy to find fault and hurl criticism at it).”
Once again, amid calls for his resignation, Abaya reiterated that only President Noynoy Aquino can ask him to leave the Cabinet. He explained, “I have no qualms if I get kicked out in a day or two. As I said, I’m just a text away from the President. At the end of the day, we came here to serve our people.”
He added, “I didn’t come here to be applauded, lauded. I came here to solve the problems of the transportation sector. I did my best to solve them.”
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