PGMA's Statement on the Transport Group Support as the country faces a crisis in the Middle East

PGMA's Statement on the Transport Group Support as the country faces a crisis in the Middle East

State Dining Room, Malacanang (19 Feb 2003)

I THANK THE TRANSPORT GROUP, REPRESENTED BY THE CONFEDERATION OF LAND TRANSPORTATION ORGANIZATIONS OF THE PHILIPPINES, FOR THEIR SUPPORT FOR ME AS THE COUNTRY FACES A CRISIS IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

KUNG NAALALA NINYO, UNA PANG DISKURSO KO SA STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS, SINABI KO NA PINAGSISIKAPAN NG GOBYERNO NA HUWAG ITAAS ANG PASAHE LALO NA ANG LRT.

THE UNFOLDING EVENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST WILL AFFECT ALL OF US. IT IS A CRISIS THAT CALLS FOR US TO COME TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE TRUE AND LASTING PEACE. THE COMING WEEKS WILL CALL FOR SACRIFICE, FORTITUDE, AND COOPERATION FROM ALL OF US.

AMONG THE SECTORS AFFECTED WILL BE THE TRANSPORT SECTOR -- THE TRICYCLE, JEEPNEY, FX, TAXI AND BUS OPERATORS AND DRIVERS, AS WELL AS THE TRUCKERS AND CARGO HAULERS. ARTIFICIAL PRESSURES BROUGHT ON BY THE CRISIS, NOT REAL SUPPLY-SIDE SHORTAGES, CAUSE THE PRICES OF CRUDE OIL TO RISE TEMPORARILY.

I APPEAL TO THE TRANSPORT SECTOR TO DEFER REQUESTS FOR A FARE INCREASE. THE CRISIS WILL BE SHORT AND TEMPORARY, AND OIL PRICES SHOULD RETURN TO PRE-CRISIS LEVELS QUICKLY. A FARE HIKE PETITION NOW MAY ADD TO INSTABILITY AND SOCIAL UNREST. A FARE HIKE IS USUALLY FOLLOWED BY A DEMAND TO INCREASE WAGES, WHICH WILL BE FOLLOWED BY INCREASES IN PRICES OF COMMODITIES.

ALAM KO NA ANG TRANSPORT SECTOR AY NAGSASAKRIPISYO PARA SA PASAHERONG ATING PINAGSISILBIHAN AT GAYON DIN NAMAN PINANGGAGALINGAN NG HANAPBUHAY. I KNOW THAT IN A GLOBAL CRISIS THAT TRANSPORT SECTOR IS ALSO HAVING A HARD TIME. SO I WORKED ON A PACKAGE OF BENEFITS FOR THAT SECTOR:

ONE, I'M ORDERING MIKE DEFENSOR OF HUDCC TO ALLOCATE MORE HOUSING UNITS FOR THE TRANSPORT SECTOR, IN ADDITION TO THE 50 UNITS PER ORGANIZATION ALREADY AWARDED IN MONTALBAN;

TWO, I'M ORDERING THE PNCC TO IMMEDIATELY ROLLBACK TO THE JANUARY 2002 RATES THE SOUTHERN LUZON EXPRESSWAY TOLL FEES FOR PROVINCIAL BUSES;

THREE, I'M ORDERING VINCE PEREZ OF THE DOE TO STUDY THE POSSIBILITY OF PUTTING GAS AND DIESEL PUMPS IN THE TERMINALS OF THE TRANSPORT OPERATORS WHICH SHOULD DECREASE PUMP PRICES;

AND FOURTH, I'M ORDERING BAYANI FERNANDO TO BUILD TWO TERMINALS -- ONE IN THE NORTH AND ONE IN THE SOUTH -- FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF PROVINCIAL BUSES TO CONNECT WITH THE MRT STATIONS, SO THAT THEY WILL NOT FIND THE NEED TO ENTER THE INNER CITY OF METRO MANILA. I'M ORDERING MAR ROXAS TO DO THE INITIAL FINANCING OF THE CONSTRUCTION WITH A VIEW TO PRIVATIZING THESE TERMINALS AT THE SOONEST POSSIBLE TIME; AND FOR THE FIFTH, AT THE END OF THE COLOR CODING EXPERIMENT, ON THE 21st OF FEBRUARY THEN WE WILL BE COMING UP, HOPEFULLY, WITH A SCHEME THAT WILL REDUCE THE INCONVENIENCE TO THE RIDING PUBLIC AS WELL AS THE TRANSPORT GROUPS.

IN THESE CRITICAL TIMES, I THANK THE TRANSPORT SECTOR, FOR BEING FILIPINOS FIRST AND FOREMOST BEFORE BEING REPRESENTATIVES OF ANY SECTOR. IF WE COME TOGETHER AS A NATION, THE STORM AHEAD WILL PASS QUICKLY. I'M DIRECTING LARRY MENDOZA, THE DOTC AND ITS AGENCIES, THE LTO AND THE LTFRB, TO WORK CLOSELY WITH BAYANI FERNANDO AND THE MMDA TO ATTEND TO ALL THE ISSUES AFFECTING THE TRANSPORT SECTOR. LET US CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER. I WILL CONTINUE TO COUNT ON THE SUPPORT OF THE TRANSPORT SECTOR.

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