The Negative Impact of MRT Issues for the Candidacy of Mar Roxas

Until now, the Aquino administration doesn't solve the problems in MRT-3 despite of their some measurement how tio improve its operation. Recently, they ordered new trains from Dailan company of China and it will be delivered this year. But the critics of administration are question the legality of its transaction because it was not undergo in a public bidding. The question now, does the MRT issues would affect the presidential candidacy of Mar Roxas?

As a bet of Liberal Party, of course, the candidacy of Roxas would be affected in MRT issues. As a matter of fact, according to Al Vitangcol, Roxas was involved in anomalies when  he was still the DOTC secretary. Roxas entered in a transaction with PH Trams without any public bidding. That transaction also became questionable because that company was just two month-old during that time. Vitangcol urged Roxas that he should rehire Somitomo, former maintenance provider of Somitiomo but Roxas rejected the proposal. If he didn't reject it, maybe the MRT have no problem in mechanical problem now.

Vitangcol also proposed to Roxas that the MRT should use Pilot Contactless Automatic Fare Collection System. This idea was really good because it had no cost to government and to the riding public. Unfortunately, Roxas rejected that proposal. And now, the MRT commuters are suffering because of his rejection. We have a beep card system right now, but the commuters need to pay the card for 30 pesos. Then, the government is paying for the beep card that produces. They just give a huge profits to the Ayala Corp. which serves as their contractors for the beep card.

It is about time for the MRT commuters to revenge; they will show their anger in May election by not voting Roxas. If they will vote for him, it only means that they would let the problem in MRT would be continued. They knew that Roxas would not improve it as what he shown while he was a DOTC secretary. All the chance to improve it was on him, but he did nothing. So, why the MRT commuters would vote for him?

Mar Roxas Versus Al Vitangcol: Who's Saying the Truth?

        Mr. Mar Roxas, can you explain the allegation of the former MRT general manager Al Vitangcol that you're involved in anomalous transaction when you're still a DOTC secretary. It is contradict to the clean image that you want to potray in media. According to you, you don't have any record of corruption in the government offices that you handled.

Vitangcol felt that you used him to save yourself from anomaly. In other words, he was just only a escape goat. You involved him in corruption by saying that he entered in a contract with PH Trams, where Arturo Soriano served as executive. But as a secretary, that would not be happened if you don't have any approval. Of course, you knew it because you're the boss of Vitangcol. He can't implement his decisions without your consents. When the questionable transaction was revealed bu the media, all of a sudden, you pointed out your finger to Vitangcol. What's your purpose, to clean your name from the controversy. Oh, common, the Filipino people are not ignorant to accept that you don't have responsibility to the mess that you created in MRT-3.

One thing also, Vitangcol pointed out that the mechanical problem in MRT was your fault; not him. As a fromer secretary, you had a full control to the operation of MRT and to the other aspects of our transportation system. Vitangcol said that when the contract of Somitimo had ended, he wrote a letter to the DOTC, but he never accept any answer from you. Vitangcol suggested that you should rehire the service of that company because of their expertise. All of sudden, you just hired a company without enough experience to handle the mechanical work of MRT. And take note, you did this without any public bidding which is against our law. We need public bidding to have transaction and to give a chance to other companies who want to have a transaction with the government.

The sad thing, the current DOTC Sec. Emilio Abaya adopted the rotten style of their former leader. This is the reason why the MRT is in the midst of big trouble right now. They can't fix the whole system despite of their some measurements like buying new train couches. Abaya bought the trains from Dailan, a Chinese company without any public bidding! See? Roxas and Abaya have the same mentality; both of them are involved in some anomalous transactions in the government. So, Mr. Roxas, don't expect that that the majority of voters would vote you in May 2016! You should answer first,what's your involvement or participation in the questionable transactions in MRT. Of course, Vitangcol may saying the truth because he is in the distess situation because there is someone hiding the truth!

Is There Any Improvement in MRT-3?

             On November 10, the passengers of MRT-3 were stranded during rush hour due to broken rails. Well, what can we expect in MRT-3? This is not a new thing anymore; even it is hurt to say this kind of scenario is just a normal.  DOTC Sec. Emilio Abaya asked for understanding for what happened. He said that right now they are doing a lot of measurement how to improve our train system. He assured that the public could expect a good service in the first quarter of 2016.

                 We can’t just rely to the statement of Sec. Abaya although his promise is possible to be happened. But it seems that he don’t know that we are already waiting for a long time the MRT to be improved. And now, he wants us to wait again. The 48 train couches that they ordered from Dalian company from China were already arrived in our country. But the problem, they could not test it because it has no engines. The question is why they agreed to buy train couches without couches? What if the engines they will import in Germany could not be matched or applicable to the train couches? What’s the reason behind this action? Do they want to buy cheaper engines or they want to give favor to another contractor?

                Okay, let us assume that our train system would be improved in the first quarter of 2016. But it could last for a long term or in other words, could they maintain it very well? We are aware that Sec. Abaya hired multiple maintenance companies to maintain the MRT. He believed that more heads is much better than one head. In this system, there is no single responsibility. What if one of the companies would take a mistake? There is a big possibility that they will blame their co-contractors. Of course, we can’t pinpoint Sec. Abaya because his term will end in May 2016.But the problem that he brought in MRT will stay. Is this the kind of legacy that he wants to leave us?

                 If I were Abaya, I will resign from my post because I knew that I’m not competent from my position. But the problem, Abaya has still a gut to a leader of transportation although he has already done a lot of mistakes. If he is a good leader, we can’t experience like what we are experiencing right now in MRT.

Corruption: The Roots of Problem in MRT-3?

We don’t see any development about the maintenance of the MRT-3 although DOTC Sec. Emilio Abaya has some measurement how to solve the problem. His plan is ineffective because it is not appropriate for train. He is still using the service of APT Global for the maintenance work of the MRT. He can’t replace the company even the outcome of their work is terrible. The train had experience a lot of trouble under their management. Until now the government is still looking for a new maintenance provider. The problem, all of their potential bidders doesn’t want to pass their proposal to the government.

The problem in MRT-3 will not be resolved unless Sec. Abaya will eat his pride. He should hire again the service of Somitomo Corp. from Japan, the former maintenance provider of MRT-3. This is the recommendation of the Metro Trail Transit Corp. (MRTC), the real owner of the MRT-3. This company had an excellence record when they were still handling the maintenance work for the MRT. The problem occurred when Sec. Abaya didn’t extend the contract of this company. He said that Somitomo asked a high fee for their service. But if was just a normal, if you want a good service; you have to pay higher. This is better rather than to hire other company which have a cheaper price, but their don’t giving a quality service. This was happened to MRT-3, the DOTC hired the joint venture of Phil Trams-C&BT. Aside from poor service, the transaction between the company and the government had been shrouded of anomaly. Allegedly, Sec. Abaya accepted bribe from Phil-Trams-C&BT in exchanged of contract for the MRT maintenance work.

Sec. Abaya had been also involved in the anomalous transaction of Al Vitangcol who became a head of MRT. The former official tried to kick back the Inekon Group in 2012. Because of this, the Czech Ambassador wrote a letter to P-Noy to report the incident but the Philippine government didn’t take an action. Instead, P-Noy and Sec. Abaya defended Vitangcol until he was forcibly resigned from his position to save P-Noy from political scandal which he created.  Until now, Sec. Abaya is not clearing his name about the issue. The truth is, the Ombudsman had already filed a case against the two corrupt government officials.

Last January,t he DOTC increase the MRT-LRT fare despite of the refusal of the public. They believed that the fare increase was not the answer to improve our train system. Now, we are also heard that Sec. Abaya is using the funds of MRT-3 to pave the way the candidacy of DILG Mar Roxas in 2016. Roxas is the stand bearer of the Liberal Party where Sec. Abaya is acting as their president. So, this is not surprising anymore if he is doing this to strengthen their forces. If Roxas could win, he will be still gain power in the government. And of course, the purpose is to use his position for his personal interest.

DOTC is Ready for the 3rd MRT-3 Bidding Process

       The Department of Transportation and Communications is on the verge of uncertainty after they failed in their second bidding process for the maintenance of the MRT-3. It seems that the no companies became interested in the contract. Maybe they realized that they would never make a high profit out of it although the government will pay about million pesos to the lucky contractor.  Of course, they need to release their own money for the maintenance and they knew that the MRT-3 is already too old. It means that there are many mechanical problems that they need to fix. They need a lot of efforts just to maintain the MRT-3.

Despite of the second failed bidding, Sec. Emilio Abaya is still confident that they would attract the interest of potential bidders to pass their proposal letters with them. Hence, they extended the deadline; it already started on January 23 until February 6. Does the time frame of the DOTC is already enough for the maintenance providers to decide if they want to work with the government? I don’t think so.

This is the problem with the DOTC, they are always in a hurry, but the problem is they don’t accomplish anything. Like when they plan to take over the MRT-3 because according to them they wanted to lessen the subsidy that they are paying for every train commuter. But it was also became failed after the Congress didn’t support it. Then, they decided to implement fare increase in MRT-LRT with the same reason although they have a poor service. They have been criticized by the public; they don’t fix the problems in MRT-3 before they made the fare increase. Sec. Abaya said they need to do this for the maintenance of the MRT-3. But the Congress was already allotted a budget for the train maintenance that is included in our national budget. So, they need additional budget for that and they will get it from the train commuters?

For sure, if there are still no companies would join in the bidding process; the DOTC will still retain the service of APT Global. And we knew that they are not giving the right service for the MRT. It also means that the mechanical problems will just continue. Let us hope that there are maintenance providers would join in their third bidding process. We should also hope that ‘kumpadre and kamag-anak system’ would not prevail. They just select the best company that will suit to the work in MRT-3. But whoever they are, good luck to them!

DOTC: The Failed Bidding Process and Fare Hike

For the second time around, the Department of Transportationand Communications invited potential bidders to pass their proposal for the maintenance of MRT-3. Unfortunately, no bidders show off to their invitation. Other bidders said that it seems that they will be aggravated when they commit their company to the DOTC. The department is very strict with their rules that the private companies that’s why they retract their plan to join in bidding process.

                Sec. Emilio Abaya admitted that they became strict with their rules. This is to make sure that the government would not put in uncertainty. Sec. Abaya said that there is a possibility if they would declare emergency if they conduct another bidding process and then no companies would be appeared again. They may talk to one company and offer the maintenance work to them. It means that they have the right to choose their own maintenance provider. Like what they did in previous years when they chose APT Global although it is against to the BLT agreement that they signed.

                The critics of Sec. Abaya has a doubt that the DOTC is just manipulating the bidding process to give favor to the company that they wanted to work with. They concluded that the government implemented a fare increase in MRT-LRT to use it in 2016 national election. For our information, Sec. Abaya serves as acting president of the Liberal Party which is the political affiliation of President Benigno S. Aquino III.

                The public noticed that Sec. Abaya is very aggressive with his decisions. First, he wanted to takeover the MRT-3 from Metro Rail Transit Corporation (MRTC) which is the real owner of the MRT-3. But the plan has been rejected by the Congress when they didn’t not release a fund for that. Instead, the Congress release a fund for the maintenance of the MRT-3. So, it’s hard to believe that Sec. Abaya imposed a fare increase because they will use it for the maintenance of the MRT-3. Tell it to the marine, Sir! You can’t fool the train commuters.

                Now, the secretary doesn’t want to retract the fare increase despite of the sentiments of the train commuters. Hence, they found out that he and his allies are not real serving for the people, but for their own personal interest. If the DOTC has a genuine concern for us, they will not add another burden. Instead, they will make a way to give us comfort by providing us an excellent service. Unlike today, they imposed fare increase, but they don’t make any improvement to our train system. The question is, how much money involved here? 

The Controversial MRT-LRT Fare Increase

        Department of Transportation and Communications Sec. Emilio Abaya is in the midst of controversial after he ordered to increase the fare in MRT and LRT. His department didn’t release any announcement regarding this plan. In other words, there were not conducted a public consultation. They only announced it on Christmas holiday last year. The militant groups are questioning the action of Sec. Abaya. For them, it is very clear that their action is violating the law. They assumed that this is a part of his dirty tactics to make their hidden agenda. It is possible that they will use it to solicit funds for the 2016 national election. Based on a report, Sec. Abaya is acting now as a president of Liberal Party which is the affiliate political party of President Aquino. Hmm, something smells fishy here.

            The militant groups especially Bayan Muna already filed a complaint in high court. They requested a temporary restraining order to stop the MRT-LRT increase, but unfortunately it was ignored by the high court. Hence, the Malacañang claimed that the action of the DOTC is really correct. Their position is the public should see the importance of the MRT-LRT increase because the government didn’t make any increase for how many years. Their aim is to lessen the subsidy that they are paying for ever train commuters. They also emphasized that they will use the money for the development and maintenance of our train system. Aside from these, they wanted to give a fund to our countrymen in Visayas and Mindanao especially the Yolanda survivors.

            It seems that Sec. Abaya is fooling the train commuters. Why? First, the Congress has already allotted a budget for the maintenance of MRT which included in our 2015 national budget. If this is not enough, why he didn’t ask to Congress for additional budget? The Senate said that it was enough to cover up all the expenses for the maintenance of MRT. Secondly, it is not a duty of DOTC to give funds to help the typhoon victims. It is a duty of DSWD, NDRRMC and other government agencies. They should only focus on transportation; don’t meddle to the things that they are not beyond their responsibilities. And one of their major responsibility is to serve the public commuters. This time it seems that they are thirsty to earn money from them through MRT-LRT increase.

            By the way, the fare increase is a sole decision of the DOTC. The Metro Rail Transport Corp. had no part when they created about that decision. The truth is, the DOTC is not consulting the private investors before they ratify their decision.