What We Need Right Now Are The Urgent Solutions Not Fatal Remarks #ExpertWriter

What We Need Right Now Are The Urgent Solutions Not Fatal Remarks #ExpertWriter

While the DOTC Secretary wanted to show his expertise to the Filipino people, he never thought that his words to the media got the times of his life. Apologizing publicly was the only recourse for him to pacify the outcry. Construction from other different parts of metro Manila moved the traffic congestion into its zenith. Likewise, the MRT3 also got the longest running squabble for his government job.

What we need right now are the urgent solutions that can give the ease of transporting the riding public to their daily work. Prioritization of the government programs and the timing it’s to implement gives much point in controlling and monitoring the course of action.

The DOTC Secretary has much time to elaborate the effectiveness of his decision in continuing the transportation section of Metro Manila and the whole of the Philippines. It takes knowledge and expertise in doing this kind of job. But fairly considering the work done by Jun Abaya, the harder it gets to complete its focus.

Political opposition always got to react every time the Aquino government moves its wings for development. Lots of them know the reasons why and it’s just the normal thing to confront through the media. It spreads totally within the framework of their desire to smear the present administration.

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) have agreed to undertake the two-station approach. The proponents of LRT-1, LRT-7 and MRT-3 have yielded to the DOTC decision to adopt the two-station approach (instead of a single station) to effect the transfer of passengers from any of the three lines to any of the other two lines in order to proceed to their respective destinations. There so many consequences that we can give for this kind of thinking. But making them work well with train system will be to give ease to the riding public. Maybe, the present administration will study and tackle the pros and cons of this approach.

If we, the people cannot help the government in continuing their efforts for the betterment of our transportation services, then, and only then, they couldn’t provide us the good services that we wanted for. Sometimes, we have to give them the time to work for programs that needs permanent solutions like the metro rail and traffic congestion.

Negative remarks from media, political opposition and even the netizens have gotten its course in devaluating the way the present administration was doing for the good of all Filipinos.

The betterment of our nation lies for us people, to help and understand the way government officials are doing with their jobs. Let us unite to give aid to our government and conduct positive moves for the betterment of ourselves and the Philippines as a whole.

Read More

Let's Talk About MRT-LRT Fare Hike #ExpertWriter

The fare hike mania of MRT-LRT is making waves of disappointments to some militants groups, political opposition leaders, the commuters, the Senate and majority of Filipinos.

It’s been deliberately announced by the DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya in time with December holidays when none of its critics can take action about the fare hike. Moreover, the DOTC’s going ahead with its decision, the administration was turning a deaf ear to the clamor to suspend the increases until it can show improvements in the services of the metro rail system. The public protests against the Administration clamor to abort the fare increases and flaunted its insensitivity and arrogance to public demands.

The commuters expect the Administration to take action of the train improvements rather than increasing the fare. For, it’s ill-timed in what they’re experiencing in the past. The fare increases would prove disadvantageous to the public, especially the poor. It would worsen the traffic condition in Metro Manila, as these would drive many commuters to ride in buses and jeepneys.

Even Senators Grace Poe and Francis Escudero vowed to confront Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio A. Abaya and Budget Secretary Florencio Abad over the “treacherous’’ increase of mass transit fare. Both accused the Department of Transportation and Communication of putting one over the public by enforcing the fare increase of the Metro Rail Transit and Light Rail Transit without consulting them beforehand.

The increase, they argued, was ill-timed because Congress approved allocations for MRT and LRT in the P2.606-trillion 2015 national budget, and that MRT has not fixed its glitches.

Other Filipinos think negatively that Secretay Abaya, as the ruling Liberal Party’s acting President has made it a source of dirty money for election 2016. They concluded that such billion-peso corruption been prevented, there would be no need for the fare hike.

The Administration deal with its critics by reasoning out that it’s time to increase the fare because past administration had done nothing to do the increase. The political will to apply the train fare hike’s hard but necessary to maintain the operation.

Because of its strict requirements for second bidding in accepting as MRT3 maintenance provider, none has the guts to continue the bidding process. But Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya is very much alive in maintaining the strict selection of maintenance company. The DOTC will find another way to secure a maintenance provider through direct transaction with them.

Is this another way of the Administration to elude the public in contracting its own partner in dealing MRT3 issues? If the bidding requirements are too strict to follow, then, they are strategizing the effect of fare hike and the maintenance provider. The thing that the Administration could suffice to give for its present situation is the specific move for clarification. It’s totally hard to accept but the clear governance could.

The Filipinos felt the MRT-LRT fare hike as a clamp to their way of living. Demands for the train development are more important to them. Nevertheless, commuters cannot understand fully the issues behind the fare hike. More or less they pretend that the present Administration will help them not to squeeze their budget.

In the future, we can say, after these issues on how the Administration can solve by their prowess of people’s initiatives.

Read More

MRT3 Shutdown Is An Excellent Option #ExpertWriter

MRT3 Shutdown Is An Excellent Option #ExpertWriter

First and foremost, the government’s vision and mission: to give total services and safe commuter’s system to the riding public. Being the elected leaders of our country, we need to think, cooperate and extend help to our government and to give them ways on how to address the problems nationwide especially the MRT3-EDSA. We don’t have to add negative elements to the dilapidated situation of our train system, but to think positively and spread the goodness to all. It’s within the context of our society that our Filipino image is built through characters, attitude and patriotism. How can we put forward to the future when our sentiments and loyalty always the same, same old ways in judging our leaders?

Remember, that each leader or President has its own personality, vision and mission in life especially in the political arena. We must help our leaders not to put negative aspect of their leadership into a pendulum-type of decision-making attitude.

In this case of MRT3 problems, even since the conception and until now, the story goes on and on while the riding public is not comfortable with the outcome of negotiations of The Department of Transportation and Communications DOTC to its private business partners the MRT II Holdings represented by MRTC’s Manager Robert Sobrepena. The public are in constant fear of their lives when using the train system along EDSA. Moreover, the breakdowns showed that it needed renovation for longer lifespan of the operations. Likewise, both partners, the DOTC and MRTC are not in good relationship with each other that made this chaotic situation to its extreme limits.

To ease passengers' suffering caused by recurring breakdowns of the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT3), its key stakeholders are in agreement over a possible temporary shutdown of the line. The private shareholder of the Metro Rail Rail Transit Corporation, the concessionaire of the MRT3, agrees, then, this is the time that the DOTC should come into the open to compromise things to be done for the good of everybody. "If safety is a clear issue, we have to shut down the rails," Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said in an interview with ABS-CBN on Thursday, October 9.

The MRT3 shutdown is possible for this stage because of its old-age train system and accessories. First thing the DOTC should do is to sit down with the MRTC’s Bob Sobrepena for possible compromise agreement with MRTC together with MRT II Holdings. Let the agreement starts to be positive that both parties can gain substantial business revenues. The government operates MRT3 under a build-lease-transfer (BLT Agreement) contract with Metro Rail Transit Corp (MRTC), which is majority owned by privately-held MRT II Holdings. This agreement must be followed by both parties to put forward the MRT3 operations and management to its clear destination in the modern future. But always, there’s specific time frame for every moves to be successful.

The next moves of the PPP as partnership, should appoint an expert leader to oversee the whole operations and management from planning up to the actual renovation and monitoring.

Another facet’s the riding public along EDSA through designated and scheduled buses to augment the volume of commuters each hour. This should be managed and monitored by an expert leader just for this purpose.

Likewise, the new MRT3 should be new and improved that could accommodate the volume of the riding. As much as possible, the planned MRT3 extension must be carried out after the renovation.

In addition, the DOTC and MRTC must bid for an expert maintenance and engineering providers for a longer period of time agreements. The purpose is to have a clear responsibility for their jobs as well as enthusiasm in maintaining the country train system.

The operations and management of the new renovated MRT3 should have strict but fair standard operating procedures to all staff and management. The rules and regulations of MRT3 should be implemented at all times to have high productivity for all employees.

In my observation, the MRT3 operations have lots of tellers but short in management people to monitor the daily operation. Likewise, their visibility in the front end is not known, instead, maybe, at the back office?

The DOTC and MRTC should move faster now for MRT3 renovation to avoid the same problems in the future.

Read More

MRT3 Story Is A Corruption With-A-Twists? #ExpertWriter

As one of the leader of Pnoy Administration and a DOTC Secretary, Mr. Emilio Abaya should have the thorough knowledge of all the Transportation businesses in the Philippines. Thus, MRT3 train Operations and Management (O&M) is one of its components that should be given total focus because of its complexity in any facets of the system.

The management of MRT3 ‘s tarnished with negativity wherein the Ombudsman will investigate alleged involvement of Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya with officials accused of graft charges for alleged anomalous maintenance contract of Metro Rail Transit (MRT) with a local company.

Former MRT General Manager Al Vitangcol, who resigned last May, was also named in the charge sheet. He and five others faced separate charges of violating the Government Procurement Reform Act. Criminal and administrative charges have been filed against Abaya and 15 others. The contract with PH Trams-CB&T was allegedly awarded without public bidding.

The negative approached played by Al Vitangcol gave way to a more damaged consequences of MRT3 operations and management. The series of train system breakdowns and accidents proved that the decision made by the DOTC head was far from solving the present crisis.

Moreover, behind these problems, the relationship of MRTC and DOTC are not giving positive results to the riding public and to all Filipinos as a whole. Their movements to give total service to the public were created another series of battle between the two. Thus, the The Department of Transportation and Communications DOTC’s still aiming for a buyout to pacify the past and develop new management system. But, is it really the best solution so far?

MRTC and MRTHoldings through Bob Sobrepena, open up to the media about their side and the true status of MRT3. Thus, wanted to unify with DOTC but suggested a privatization of the operations and management of MRT3-EDSA train system.

The DOTC Secretary said about the investigation, “I have nothing to hide and no reason to fear any investigation. As always, we will cooperate fully with the investigation of the Office of the Ombudsman, just as we have with investigation undertaken by different branches and agencies of government, such as the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the National Bureau of Investigation. We remain committed to transparency and the eradication of corruption in government. Ultimately, it is the public that will benefit from the search for truth.”

He will face this investigation for sure, and Al Vitangcol should be investigated too, together with others. Records at the National Statistics Office showed that Vitangcol was related by affinity to Arturo Soriano, a representative of the PH TRAM-CB&T that negotiated the contract. Inekon Group Chief Executive Officer Josef Jusek and Czech Ambassador Joseph Rychtar accused Vitangcol of demanding a bribe in exchange for service and maintenance contract for MRT.

Only the truth will prevail and if found guilty, they should be penalized accordingly.

Another angle for this investigation is the eradication of public officials who are doing public contracts while lifting their vested interest at hand. In the past, majority of them were developing strategies to increase their wealth, adding to their powerful influences and sticking to their hollow political ideologies.

Read More