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: Ano yung pinakaimportanteng project o engineering na pwede ninyong umpisahan next year? Kasi kahit ibigay natin itong emergency power, kung walang funding source, wala rin.

USEC. DE GUZMAN: Sa road sector po, ang immediately na nakikita namin na makaka-address ng traffic, ay ‘yung construction ng integrated terminals (South & Southwest).

SEN. RECTO: Halimbawa sa South, saan?

USEC. LONTOC: ‘Yun pong sa South, ‘yun po ‘yung nasa sa FTI, doon po magteterminate ‘yung mga provincial bus.

SEN. RECTO: Tapos na ‘yan hindi ba? Na-bid-out na ‘yan eh. Through PPP (Public-Private Partnership) ‘yan?

USEC. LONTOC: Opo.

SEN. RECTO: So, tapos na ‘yan, ginagawa na ‘yan. Wala na tayo magagawa jan. Pero ‘yung BRT ba aabot dun?

USEC. LONTOC: ‘Yun pong sa C5 may connection po doon, may gagawin po tayong BRT sa C5. Pero sa ngayon po ay–

SEN. RECTO: Malayo pa. Wala pa sa listahan n’yo yun eh. Kasi dapat kung may terminal ‘yan, pagbaba mo, sasakay ka ng city bus or, in this case, BRT (Bus Rapid Transit).

USEC. LONTOC: Opo.

SEN. RECTO: So malabo pa ‘yon. Matagal pa ‘yan.

USEC. LONTOC: Opo. Mayroon po kaming interim na pwedeng gawin in the meantime na wala pa ‘yung BRT ng C5, at ‘yun po ‘yung ginagawa naming rationalization ng–

SEN. RECTO: I hope you are correct in what you are doing here ha? Kasi once this infrastructure is already constructed, at mali, hindi na natin mababago ‘yan. That is the point I’m trying to drive at here. Kapag nagkamali tayo jan, lintik-lintik ang aabutin natin, ‘di ho ba? But I’ll leave that, the expertise, to you.