Senator Grace Poe said the grandiose proposals of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to solve the worsening traffic in three years are not feasible without plans and funding.
Poe, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Services, will prepare the final draft of the proposed emergency powers for President Rodrigo Duterte to address traffic congestion in the country.
With the absence of clear plans and funding, however, Poe noted the DOTr’s proposals are unlikely to be implemented.
The DOTr’s proposed projects do not have approved plans or feasibility studies and it will cost the government between P3 trillion and P8 trillion.
“Where are we going to get all these funds?,” asked Poe.
Tugade has proposed the Duterte administration be allowed to do away with the bidding procedures to speed up implementation of the projects for the next three years upon approval of the emergency powers.
Poe suggested the DOTr should come up with better plans to address the problem on traffic. She said DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade should come up with better plans to address the traffic crisis.
Tugade was bypassed by the bicameral Commission on Appointments last month amid questions on his competence.
The Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement (PGKM), a multisectoral group, had earlier urged Duterte to remove Tugade from his Cabinet saying “he was not able to solve traffic in Metro Manila.”
PGKM chairman Perto Cruz said Tugade has done nothing to ease the horrific traffic in Metro Manila to the consternation of commuters.