The 14-man Eastern Visayas Bloc of the House of Representatives on Wednesday asked their colleagues to grant emergency powers to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to help solve the worsening land and air traffic problem, particularly in Metro Manila.
In a manifesto, the bloc whose members include Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez (1st District) said the traffic “aggravated the people’s daily economic activity” and has deteriorated to a national crisis needing final and immediate resolution.
Aside from Romualdez, the signatories to the manifesto were Congressmen Ben Evardone (Eastern Samar), Rogelio Espina (Biliran), Mila Tan (2nd District, Samar), Roger Mercado (Southern Leyte), Jose Carlos Cari (5th District, Leyte), Lucy Torres-Gomez (4th District, Leyte) Victoria Noel (An Waray PL). Congressmen Edgar Sarmiento (1st District, Samar), Edwin Ong (2nd District, Northern Samar), Vicente Veloso (3rd District, Leyte), and Harlin Neil Abayon (Aangat Tayo Party-list).
Romualdez, the wife of House Independent Bloc leader and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, said special powers should be given to the President to solve traffic woes as Metro Manila’s horrendous traffic cost the Philippine economy at least P3 billion ($64 million) a day.
Evardone said the Eastern Visayas bloc was the first group to openly support the call to grant President Duterte emergency powers.
“We believe that the President, through emergency powers, will be able to deal with incongruent national and local government policies,” the group said.
The bloc also said “the traffic crisis has projected such a grim image of Metro Manila as to adversely impact the tourism industry, a leading dollar-earner already beset by the threat of terrorism.”
The group said Land Transportation Office and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board rules do not break the gridlock caused by the enormous increase in volume of motorized vehicles on limited streets.
The Department of Transportation is likewise limited by its authority, particularly on government procurements, to meet the need for mass transportation facilities and infrastructure, the bloc added.
The group said without the necessary intervention by authorities the daily economic loss of P2.4 billion which the Jica2014 report estimated would increase to P6 billion according to government economists.
“Further, the increased international, as well as domestic flights sans corresponding improvement of runways and airport facilities, have caused frustrating delays and agonizing travel experience for tourists,” the bloc said.
The group also cited the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines report that airlines lost at least P7 billion yearly on wasted fuel and maintenance costs due to flight delays.
