Excerpt from the Senate hearing last October 12, 2016 on the proposed emergency powers for President Rodrigo Duterte to address the traffic problem in the Philippines. Senator Ralph Recto questions some provisions in the DOTr’s proposed bill, titled “Traffic and Congestion Crisis Act”.

SEN. RECTO: Of the P1.3 trillion, roughly, alin yung may funding source sa GAA (General Appropriations Act) next year?

USEC. DE GUZMAN: Ito po yung may funding sources: P19.7 billion for the existing GAA budgets, 2015 and 2016. 2017 naman po, we also identified–and beyond– P227 billion. Iyon ang pinoprograma pa po namin, until 2017 and beyond. Kasi ngayon pong 2017, ang naapprove lang sa amin na infra projects is about P39 billion.

SEN. RECTO: Correct. And of the P39 billion, ano yung para sa EDSA?

USEC. DE GUZMAN: Ah ‘yung pong portion doon, ‘yung sa BRT (Bus Rapid Transit). ‘Yung preliminary study, feasibility study pa lang po.

SEN. RECTO: So ngayon, feasibility study lang pala. Paano ‘pag lumabas sa study, hindi s’ya pala feasible?

USEC. DE GUZMAN: Baka irerevise po ‘yung plano, to make it more responsive to the needs sa EDSA traffic po.

SEN. RECTO: And that’s precisely the point eh. Mayroon tayong mga resolution na finile, Mayroon na tayong inaprubahan na Master Plan supposed to be, di ba? ‘Yung JICA plan, transport plan in Metro Manila.

USEC. DE GUZMAN: Yes, your honor. The BRT is part of that plan. Let me correct, your honor, that the BRT in EDSA pala ay nasa detailed engineering design stage na po.

SEN. RECTO: So, may feasibility study na?

USEC. DE GUZMAN: Yes, your honor.