Transportation Undersecretary Cesar Chavez's resignation amid successive Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) woes drew mixed reactions from senators and congressmen.
All of them, however, agreed that Chavez's resignation stressed the need for the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to immediately lay down its plans to address the MRT and traffic problems plaguing the country.
Chavez on Thursday tendered his irrevocable resignation from his post, citing "simple sense of delicadeza" amid the glitches that the MRT3 has been suffering almost every day.
In a statement on Thursday, Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate said Chavez's departure was unfortunate but not surprising.
Zarate claimed that the power economic and political interests that Chavez might have stepped on as he addressed MRT3 issues may have caused his resignation.
"USec Chavez is one of the more open public officials under the DOTr (Department of Transportation) and often invites groups and people's organizations to check or consult on how to deal with the rail problems in the country," he said.
"His irrevocable resignation shows that the commuting public will expect, not an improvement, but an even worse MRT service," he added.
For Akbayan party-list Representative Tom Villarin, Chavez's resignation out of "delicadeza" was "fait accompli," or an accomplished fact, as the administration continued to play the blame game over government inefficiency.
"The MRT3 mess is a collective problem that goes all the way up to Malacanang. It was a campaign promise to be solved in the short run just like the campaign against illegal drugs," he told reporters in a message.
"To appease the public, someone’s head had to be in the chopping block. USec Chavez's good intentions can’t hide a government that is leading us to nowhere," he added.
Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano, on the other hand, respected Chavez's decision and lauded his courage to own up to his shortcomings.
Alejano said Chavez's resignation, however, does not signal the end of the problems that continue to hound the MRT3.
"The government must now lay down its plan on how to address the MRT mess. The Filipino people deserve safe, reliable, and efficient transportation services," he said.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian echoed Alejano's sentiments.
“[The] DOTr urgently needs a good communicator to explain to us, the public, about their plans and solutions to improve the traffic situation in the country.”
Gatchalian said Chavez’s stepping down was a “big loss,” since the former undersecretary had been “upfront and straightforward” in reporting the issues hounding the Department of Transportation.
Man of integrity
Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri was also all praises for Chavez, whom the lawmaker described as a “man of integrity and honor.”
“His actions today further strengthened my belief that there are still men and women in government who put importance on delikadeza above personal interest and ambition,” Zubiri said in a statement.
“I'm sure the good Undersecretary tried his best to solve the problems of the MRT but the problems seem far greater than one man alone could carry. He believes that maybe someone else may help solve these problems hounding our Mass Transport system. I respect his decision and I salute him," he added.
Zubiri also said the public has become “wary” of a variety of issues surrounding the train line, such as anomalous contracts, the trains and their signaling system, and unresolved charges of corruption.
“Likewise, we don't expect to see the resolution any sooner of cases that have been filed against very high profile personalities including the Department honchos straddling several Administrations,” he said.
Zubiri also raised the issue of the government’s being “hard-pressed to find a willing and technically qualified partner in the massive rehab of the MRT system,” citing the alleged refusal of previous maintenance provider Sumitomo to once again work with the government.
However, the DOTr has in fact clarified Sumitomo is still in the running towards regaining its place as the MRT3’s maintenance contractor.
Zubiri urged Malacañang to form a search committee to find Chavez's replacement, who would have the same zeal and ethichs as the resigned official.
"We only wish that aside from the financial viability of the MRT and the subsequent cleansing of the contracts, that the government's role as provider of a reliable, efficient and affordable mass transport system is realized,” he also said.
The pace of the country’s trains, he said, would dictate the pace of the growth of its economy.
Finally, Zubiri called for “serious inter-agency efforts” for the creation of a “comprehensive, long-term and sustainable plan for our railway system, including the rehabilitation of the MRT.
"The new rail czar will have his hands full aside from having to fill the big shoes of Cesar. Public service should be the mantra of the person selected to replace Cesar,” he said.
Senators Grace Poe, JV Ejercito, and Joel Villanueva also commented on Chavez’s resignation in separate statements.
Executive session
For his part, House Transportation Committee chair Cesar Sarmiento said that despite Chavez's resignation, the DOTr can still move forward and address the issues of the mass transportation system.
"We trust that the DOTr leadership already had a reliable and intact maintenance and procurement plan for MRT3 in their hands even before they took over the system early this month so that, despite the present leadership void, the DOTr can still move towards the right direction as regards the MRT3 day-to-day operations and maintenance," he said.
The House transportation panel will hold an executive session on Monday with invited DOTr officials as regards the issues of the MRT3.
"An executive session will encourage the DOTr officials to freely talk about the MRT3 takeover and thresh out the operational and budgetary issues. This will also ensure that we do not prejudice the stand of the government in the pending court and arbitration cases," Sarmiento said.
"Rest assured, the Committee on Transportation is not taking the MRT issue lightly and is doing its part for the welfare of the Filipino commuters," he added. — MDM, GMA News
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