DAVAO CITY—Incoming House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Thursday vowed to give President-elect Rodrigo Duterte emergency powers to solve the traffic problems in Manila and Cebu.
Alvarez said that as soon as Congress reopens on July 26, he would give priority to discussing giving emergency powers to Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade.
“We need an immediate action for the traffic crisis not only in Metro Manila but also in Cebu,” Alvarez said.
“Definitely, within the year we can pass the emergency powers, and I hope it will be before Christmas.”
Alvarez made his statement even as the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry declared its support for the proposal to grant “emergency powers” to Duterte so he could deal with the country’s pressing problems.
The group urged Alvarez to deal not only with the traffic problem but also with the high incidences of crime, corruption and illegal drugs.
“By granting our president-elect emergency powers, he would be able to instill discipline among our people and set the policies needed to protect and promote the interest of our citizens,” group president Angel Ngu said.
During Monday’s business forum in Davao City, Tugade said Congress must declare a traffic crisis so that the proposals to solve it could be implemented.
Tugade described the traffic congestion in Metro Manila and Cebu as a crisis that had been affecting the residents’ quality of life.
“Our quality of life is affected because we spend more time on the road as a result of the traffic congestion,” Tugade said. F. Pearl A. Gajunera and Vito Barcelo