“Marang” prohibited in the LRT1 but Okay at the Bus
ISANG mag asawang Muslim ang bumili ng isang pirasong “Marang” sa palengke ng Balintawak, Quezon City nitong Novemeber 26, 2021 dakong 4:30 ng hapon pagkaraan nilang mag shopping sa di kalayuang Ayala Mall, at ng sila ay patungo na sa LRT1 Balintawak station, pagkaraang maipasok sa conveyor ang kanilang mga dala-dalahan ay tinanong sila ng lady guard kung sila ba ay sasakay ng tren at kanilang sinagot ay “oo”.
Ang lady guard ay buhat sa Kaizen Security Agency at sinabi nitong hindi pinapayagang isakay ang “marang” sa tren dahil raw sa mabahong amoy nito, sinabi pa nga nitong ang dala ng mag asawa ay Durian sa halip na marang na isang malaking pagkakamali dahil hindi naman pareho ang durian at marang, magkaiba yun
Kaya tinanong ng babaeng Muslim kung may mga paskil ban a nagsasabing bawal ang mga prutas na gaya ng “marang” na isakay sa tren ngunit wala silang nakitang ni-isang paskil kaya ang ginawa ng Kaizen lady guard ay inindorso niya ito sa kanyang superior. Habang ang kanyang superior naman ay hindi rin pinayagan ang “marang “na makasakay dahil umano may mga sitwasyon na silang kapareho nuon na may mga pasaherong nagrereklamo lalo at higit ay magra rush hour na.
Ang mag asawa ay sasakay lamang sana mula Balintawak hanggang Monumento, hindi naman sila magpapa “libre” sa LRT1, “magbabayad” naman sila at tama na malapit na nga ang rush hour nuon ngunit iilan lamang ang mga sumasakay sa LRT1 kumpara sa EDSA Bus Carousel sa ibaba na jam packed ang tao, siksikan at tila hindi na nasusunod ang minimum health protocol.
Ngunit nakiusap pa rin ang mag asawa sa Kaizen security agency officer ngunit hindi pa rin pumayag hanggang inindorso sila kay LRT 1 Employee Maria Lourdes Quizon na gaya ng mga gwardiya ay hindi pa rin pumayag sa kabila ng pakiusap ng babae na buntis, sa kalagitnaan ng usapan ay mag sumabad pang isang guwardiya ng Kaizen na may ipinakitang folder na ayon sa kanya ay naglalaman ng kanilang rules na nakasulat sa number 10 font, sobrang liit na halos hindi na Makita.
Kaya nga ang buntis ay sumakay na lamang sa EDSA Bus Carousel na lubhang napakasikip ng mga oras na iyon at napakatataas ng hagdan para sa pag akyat-baba ng buntis. Kung may mga paskil sana na magpapakita ng mga bawal at pwedeng isakay sa tren gaya ng mga paskil na makikita sa mga airports sana ay walang magdadala ng mga bagay na hindi pwede kaya lang wala ngang paskil ni isa na makikita..
Ubos na ang “marang” isang oras pagkaraan makarating sa kanilang destinasyon sa Malolos, Bulacan ang mag asawa. Ang mag asawang Muslim na iyon ay “kami” mula sa www.diaryongtagalog.net at www.dzmjonline.net lubhang na “stressed out” ang asawa kong buntis sa LRT1 Balintawak Station, mabuti na lang at ang EDSA Carousel Bus ay libre. Sana lang ay makarating sa tanggapan ni DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade ang istoryang ito para hindi na maulit ang mga ganitong sitwasyon///Michael Balaguer, 09262261791, michaelbalaguer@yahoo.co.uk at konekted@diaryongtagalog.net
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DOTr-LTFRB Press Release
24 November 2021
DOTr-LTFRB: P7,200 HALAGA NG FUEL SUBSIDY, MAAARI NANG MAGAMIT NG 78,000 JEEPNEY OPERATORS
MANILA – Nasa 78,000 na kwalipikadong jeepney operators ang maaari nang magamit ang halagang P7,200 bilang “one-time” fuel subsidy bawat isa para sa kanilang mga drivers simula ngayong araw, ika-24 ng Nobyembre 2021.
Ito ay matapos pormal na ilunsad ang Fuel Subsidy program kasabay ng ceremonial signing ng Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) sa pangunguna ng Department of Transportation (DOTr) at Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) sa pagitan ng iba pang ahensiya kabilang na ang Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Budget and Management (DBM) at Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).
Sa tala ng LTFRB, mahigit 136,000 public utility jeepney (PUJ) operators o franchise holders ang kwalipikadong benepisyaryo ng programa, habang 85,000 sa mga ito ang mayroon ng active Pantawid Pasada Program (PPP) ATM cards mula noong 2018-2019. Mula sa bilang ng active PPP ATM card holders, nasa 78,000 operators ang maaari nang gumamit ng subsidiya para sa pagpapakarga ng krudo ng kanilang mga drivers.
Sa kanyang mensahe na ibinahagi ni DOTr Undersecretary for Finance Giovanni Lopez, binigyang-diin ni DOTr Secretary Art Tugade na ang fuel subsidy ay bilang tulong sa mga driver at operator ng PUJs na lubhang naapektuhan ng krisis dulot ng pandemya at magkakasunod na mga pagtaas ng presyo ng langis.
“Sa pamamagitan nitong programa na ito, Mamang Tsuper, nawa’y inyong patuloy at buong-puso niyong gampanan ang inyong mahalagang papel at tungkulin sa ating mga commuter. Maagang aguinaldo po ito para sa ating mga kasamahang tsuper para maging Merry ang kanilang Christmas,” ayon kay Secretary Tugade.
“Good news po. According to Land Bank, as of yesterday, they were already able to credit the amount of P7,200 to around 78,000 beneficiaries. So ‘yun pong merong existing PPP cards, they have to check po sa ATM nila ‘yung account balance. Again, we would like to put emphasis that this should be used for fuel purchases po,” pahayag naman ni Atty. Zona Russet Tamayo, LTFRB-NCR Regional Director at Legal Division OIC.
Samantala, sinabi ni LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III na ang P1 bilyong halaga ng fuel subsidy ay patunay ng patuloy na malasakit ng pamahalaan sa mga PUJ drivers at operators. Matatandaang ang pondo na ginamit para sa program ay mula sa 2021 General Appropriations Act (GAA) na inaprubahan ni Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte sa pamamagitan ng Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC).
“Kailangang tulungan natin ang transport sector lalong lalo na ang mga tsuper at operator ng public utility jeepneys o PUJ, hindi lamang para maibsan ang gastusin sa araw-araw na pagmamaneho pero higit pa para masiguro ang pagpapatakbo ng pampublikong sasakyan para sa ating mas nakakaraming mananakay,” ani Chairman Delgra.
Pareho namang nagpahayag ng suporta ang DOE at LBP, na mga katuwang ng DOTr at LTFRB, sa implementasyon ng programa.
“This is why we, at the Department of Energy, welcome today’s signing of the Joint Memorandum Circular on the implementation of fuel subsidy program. A product of our collective efforts, the Pantawid Pasada Program would once again extend much needed assistance to legitimate public utility jeepneys franchise holder,” pahayag ni DOE Usec. Jesus Cristino Posadas, bilang kinatawan ni Energy Sec. Alfonso Cusi.
“Mahalaga po ang tungkulin ng Land Bank sa programming ito. Ang agarang paghahatid ng tulong pinansyal sa mag franchise operators sa buong bans para matanggap nila ang kanilang sabsidiya mula sa pamahalaan,” mensahe naman ni LBP Pres. Cecilia Borromeo.
Maaaring gamitin ang fuel subsidy para ibayad sa ikinargang krudo mula sa mag gas stations na nakiki-isa sa programa. Kabilang dito ang mga gas stations ng Petron, Shell, Seaoil, Total, Jetti, Rephil, Caltex, Petro Gazz, at Unioil.
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DOTr Press Release
23 November 2021
DOTr REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO SUSTAIN SWIFT BUDGET DISBURSEMENT IN AID OF ECONOMIC RECOVERY
The Department of Transportation (DOTr), under the leadership of DOTr Secretary Art Tugade, reaffirms its commitment to sustain swift budget disbursement following the approval of the Senate Plenary on the agency’s budget for 2022.
The Senate Committee on Public Services led by Sen. Grace Poe presented its counter budget for the DOTr during the deliberations on 22 November 2021.
“While the proposed budget for next year is lower than what the DOTr has outlined in previous presentations and coordinations, we nevertheless commit to the fullfilllment of its mandate in the remaining term of office with whatever approved budget will be made available,” DOTr Undersecretary for Finance Giovanni Lopez said.
On the matter of faster budget disbursement, the DOTr is most proud to inform the Senate that the DOTr is one of five (5) line agencies that had been cited by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for accelerated budget utilization in the first nine months of 2021.
The said DBM report published widely notes: “To cover the cash requirements of agencies’ programs, operations and projects, the DBM issues NCAs to government-servicing institutions such as the Development Bank of the Philippines, Land Bank of the Philippines and Philippine Veterans Bank. NCAs are valid until the end of the quarter in which they were issued.”
“It said that a higher NCA utilization rate reflects line agencies’ ability to release funds and deliver programs and projects on schedule.”
“Five agencies that used their entire allocation for the period were Department of Transportation with P45.88 billion; the Judiciary with P31.41 billion; Civil Service Commission with P1.28 billion; Commission on Audit with P9.20 billion; and Office of the Ombudsman with P3.09 billion.”
In 2015, the disbursement rate was at 47.86% (over allotment). In 2016, the DOTr had 60.77% but it dropped again in 2017 (38.57%) as most projects were still for bidding at that time. In 2018, it had 40.38%. This was the year when the agency started with the “no advance payment” policy.
To note, the DOTr is the only direct line department that was cited by the DBM in its report. This is an acknowledgement of how fast and efficient the DOTr has been utilizing its budget, especially given the conditions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2019, the DOTr’s disbursement rose to 74.5% but it dropped to 64.57% in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As of September 2021, the agency’s disbursement rate was already at 63.15%.
Meanwhile, the DOTr’s perceived low disbursement rate is largely attributable to the following:
1. The disbursements reflected in the Financial Accountability Report (FAR) No. 1 do not include loan proceeds disbursements which get booked-up/recorded only upon issuance by DBM of the Non-Cash Availment Authority. To date, the DOTr is yet to receive our requested NCAA from DBM totalling around P75 billion which represents our loan proceeds disbursements for this year and even for prior years’ dating back to 2018.
2. As a measure to ensure that no payment is released for infrastructure projects contracts without corresponding accomplishments, DOTr; in 2018, has instituted the no “advance payment” policy, particularly, for locally-funded projects. Hence, contractors get to be paid only once they have achieved at least 20% physical accomplishment.
3. There were also delays in the release of the DBM of the Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA) for all GOP disbursements. Particularly affected by this are locally-funded projects disbursements, which, although already needed for progress billings settlement or fund transfers to our implementation partners, had to be put on hold pending receipt of their covering NCAs. Proof of the DOTr’s efficient utilization of available NCAs is the recent report published by the DBM which recognized the DOTr as one of the top performers in terms of NCA utilization. According to the DBM report, the DOTr has a 100% rate of NCA utilized vis-a-vis the amount of NCA released.
“We wish to express our gratitude to the Senate Committee on Public Services led by Sen. Grace Poe for the approval of the 2022 budget of the DOTr and its attached agencies. As with the challenge to disburse the budget faster, we will be more than pleased to coordinate with the office of Senator Poe and provide all the details on the DOTr’s accelerated use of its 2021 budget. Rest assured that we will be consistent in performing swift disbursement of the agency’s budget as what we have committed and performed in the previous years,” Usec. Giovanni Lopez said.
The DOTr will also consider the added inputs that the good senator may provide, all in the spirit of mutual cooperation.
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