Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade on Friday called out Senator Grace Poe for politicizing the country’s traffic woes for her supposed plans to run for higher office.
In a television interview, Tugade said Poe, as chair of the Senate committee on public services, was using issues in transportation as an instrument in her political campaign.
“Alam naman ‘ho natin na pumoporma ‘yan si madam Grace para sa pagka-presidente na naman. ‘Wag na ‘ho ipagkaila ‘yan, ‘yun ‘ho yung porma niyan. At ginagawa niya plataporma ng transportasyon sa Senado para ito ‘ho yung ‘thriller’ para ganyan, marinig at makinig siya (We all know madame Grace is preparing for her bid as president again. Let’s not deny it, that’s her style. She’s using transportation as her platform in the Senate as a ‘thriller,’ so she can be seen and heard),” Tugade said in a television interview.
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade on Friday denied Senator Grace Poe’s accusation of lack of a master plan on the use of emergency powers to solve traffic woes in Metro Manila.In a television interview, Tugade enumerated the agency’s plans on how to use… Read More
Tugade said traffic issues should not be politicized, noting that if the Senate does not want to give emergency powers to President Rodrigo R. Duterte to solve the metro’s traffic problem, they should be allowed to do their work as they see fit.
“’Wag na natin pulitikahin. Ayaw niyo ng emergency powers, sige na. Sa inyo na ‘yung emergency power. Hayaan niyo na lang po kaming magtrabaho sa inaakala naming tama (Let’s not politicize traffic. If they don’t want to give emergency powers, fine. They can keep it. They should just let us work as we see fit),” Tugade said.
He said they have been asking for emergency powers since the beginning of Duterte’s term because it was necessary to solve traffic issues in a timely manner.
“Kailangan ‘ho talaga ‘yan pero kung ayaw na ‘ho nila ibigay, ‘wag na. Kasi paiksi ng paiksi ‘yung oras. Noon pa namin po hiningi ‘yan nung sa umpisa ng termino ng ating pangulo. Ngayon, 1,021 days na lang ang termino ng ating pangulo (We need emergency powers but if they won’t give it, then don’t. Because time is running out. We’ve been asking for this since the beginning of our president’s term. Now, only 1,021 days are left in the president’s term),” Tugade said.
He added that the DOTr would continue to “work firmer and stronger in the pursuit of our mandates, in accordance to law.”
In a television interview on Thursday, Poe called out Tugade for his alleged failure to solve problems related to traffic congestion in Metro Manila.
On the other hand, the DOTr said traffic is not part of its mandate and the appointment of Tugade as “traffic czar”, through a 2016 bill did not push through. (PNA)
Angelic-faced Senator Grace Poe publicly showed the devil in her in Isabela province, by shooing away Governor Faustino “Bojie” Dy from the stage during her campaign rally in Cauayan City on Wednesday night, April 27.
You are not welcome here. Don’t join us, Poe told the governor in a loud voice heard by many people. The insult forced the embarrassed Gov. Dy to leave the rally immediately.
For this public insult to their Governor, the Isabela Sangguniang Panlalawigan wants Poe to make a public apology.
If the independent presidential candidate would not apologize, Poe would be declared “persona non grata” (ungrateful person) by the province.
The insult on the governor and the move by the Sanggunian could be politically fatal to Poe, who has drastically slid down to second spot in poll surveys more than 10 percentile points behind now top runner Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino/Laban (PDP/Laban).
Duterte has topped four recent surveys by both the Social Weather Station and Pulse Asia to dislodge Poe who was the perennial runaway winner in previous surveys.
Poe and her running mate Senator Chiz Escudero were in Cauayan City for the rally organized by former Gov. Faustino Dy Jr. and Rep. Napoleon Dy, the governor’s brothers, of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), who are supporting Poe’s bid.
The Dy brothers are split in their politics, with Gov. Bojie Dy supporting Mar Roxas of the administration Liberal Party.
Gov. Dy has declared his province “open city” to all political parties and has adopted the protocol of leading local officials in welcoming politicians of any color holding political events in Isabela.
Gov. Dy was supposed to shake the hand of Poe in welcome, but was shocked when the presidential bet, in a loud voice, told him: “Why are you here! You are not welcome here. Don’t join us. Somebody might take photos of us (Bakit ka nandito, hindi ka welcome dito. Don’t join us dahil baka maretrato pa tayo).”
Badly hurt and embarrassed at the public insult heard and witnessed by hundreds of peopie, Gov. Dy left the campaign rally.
Campaign staff of the senator reportedly apologized for the brash attitude of Poe, but the insulted governor left in a huff with hurt feelings without a word.
Accepting her sad fate that she would be losing the presidential race with the series of poll surveys by both Social Weather Station and Pulse Asia showing her tailing Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte by more than 10 points, Senator Grace Poe is now pinning her chances to hope.
“IF THERE IS LIFE THERE IS HOPE,” Poe said.
A week to go before E-Day on May 9, Duterte is lording it over all the surveys for presidential preference, with Poe at second and Vice President Jejomar Binay and Mar Roxas tied far away at the third spot.
DURIAN POST BUSINESS & NEWS DIRECTORY 