Transport, Housing, NEDA chiefs hurdle CA

The Commission on Appointments panels on Transportation, Human Settlements and Urban Development, and Tourism and Economic Development endorsed the confirmation of the ad interim appointments of Jaime Bautista, Jose Acuzar and Arsenio Balisacan.

Bautista finally earned the Committee on Transportation's recommendation for confirmation after two hearings as secretary of the Department of Transportation.

Likewise, Acuzar and Balican's ad interim appointments were also endorsed as secretaries of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and the National Economic and Development Authority, respectively.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri — who also chairs the powerful CA — endorsed Bautista's confirmation for plenary approval.

During the panel's deliberation on his appointment, Bautista assured CA members that the DoTr will complete the payment of fuel subsidy to around 600,000 tricycle drivers by the middle of January next year.

He added that he already tasked the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to coordinate with the local government units to complete the distribution of the fuel subsidy.

The DoTr chief disclosed that the department is currently studying the possibility of putting up an intermodal transport system to make transportation more convenient for the public.

"It is part of our program. We should have an intermodal transport system to make the transportation of those who just arrived from the airport easier," Bautista said, adding that the DoTr under his helm will construct more infrastructures for the active transportation.

"We have a group in the Department of Transportation — they are the Road, Transport and Infrastructure Group — they are the ones who plan for the infrastructure for active transportation, bike lanes, walkways and greenways," he added.
Meanwhile, Acuzar assured lawmakers that employees and staff of the Task Force Bangon Marawi will finally be compensated after six months of working and receiving nothing from the government.

"I went to the Malacañang and talked to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin to resolve the issue… The Executive Secretary has assured me that they will be finally compensated within this week," Acuzar said.

He added that he will also see to it the completion of the rehabilitation and construction of housing projects under his helm and said that he is open to the possibility of extending financial assistance to the affected Marawi residents instead and letting them construct their own houses.

"It may be the direction to make it faster. Because if it will come from the government, it might be slower," Acuzar said.

Balisacan, on the other hand, clarified to lawmakers that the controversial Maharlika Investment Fund may be a brainchild of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., it was drafted by his economic team which included himself as the NEDA chief.

"The President has mentioned last night that the idea came from him then it was tossed to the members of the economic team and the technical group was formed among the members of the economic agencies, they drafted something, they presented it to the economic team for discussion," Balisacan said.

"We would like to see it at that point that it is a group effort, group output because we all signed up at the end and we discussed it among ourselves, at that point it became a collective," he added.