President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered newly appointed Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon to alleviate commuters’ struggles by fast-tracking the priority transport system infrastructure projects for physical connectivity and shortening travel time.
During his meeting with President Marcos, Dizon said he was told that one of the government’s top priorities is to provide an efficient and good transport system for the public.
“Iyon ang unang-unang sinabi ng ating Pangulo, we have to fast-track all the ongoing projects of the past administration,” Dizon told a press briefing in Malacanang on Friday.
“Kailangan nating bilisan hindi lang dahil gusto nating matapos pero dahil alam natin na kapag binilisan natin iyan, kahit papaano mapapabilis na maibsan iyong hirap ng mga kababayan natin – that’s the purpose. That’s the purpose of the Department of Transportation, para gawin lahat iyan at iyon ang kabilin-bilinan ng ating mahal na Pangulo,” he said.
Dizon also said the President ordered him to start the projects that were already in the pipeline.
Dizon cited the Tokyo subway, which was started in 1925, as an example, saying it took almost 80 years to achieve what they have now.
“Can you imagine? Ang huling line na nagawa, nagawa lang noong 2003, so you’re talking about nearly 80 years na tuluy-tuloy na pagsasagawa ng massive infrastructure project sa Japan,” Dizon said.
He said Tokyo has a population of around 14 to 15 million, similar to Metro Manila. However, Tokyo’s environment looks more spacious since many commuters travel underground.
“Pero bakit ‘pag sa Tokyo, parang ang aliwalas ‘di ba? Ang aliwalas, wala masyadong traffic, kahit rush hour maluwag, ang lalawak ng mga sidewalk, napakadaling gumalaw ng mga taga-Tokyo,” Dizon said.
Dizon, the former chief of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), said the public transportation system is one of society’s priorities.
He said it is also one of the most critical sectors since it transports workers from their homes to their places of work, their children to school, and families to the malls and other places.
Dizon said some travel two to three hours each day before reaching their places of work and another two to three hours back to their homes due to traffic and an inefficient system.
“Sasakay ka, para kayong mga sardinas sa loob ng tren o sa loob ng bus. Bababa ka, pila na naman. Pagbaba mo umuulan, walang silong,” he said.
On the other hand, the right-of-way issue is one of the concerns the DOTr is trying to solve for these infrastructure projects.
“Ngayon, maraming mga balakid, maraming mga problema pero iyong mga problemang iyon, hindi na bago eh – nandiyan na iyan. Sa lahat ng mga infrastructure projects na ginawa noong nakaraan, nandiyan na iyong mga problem and in – right of way ang unang-unang problem,” he said.
To fast-track these projects, Dizon said the “whole-of-government approach” and “whole-of-society approach” would be used, with the help of local government units (LGUs) and the private sector.
Dizon said the solution to the right-of-way issue would involve the cooperation of local government units, local officials, and the private sector.
“Kasi marami sa mga lupang kailangang gamitin ay nasa kamay ng pribadong sektor and we have to work together, at manggagaling iyan sa mga iba’t ibang ahensiya ng national government,” Dizon stressed.| PND
