AFTER BEING TOLD TO STOP ATTENDING CABINET MEETINGS Robredo quits Cabinet 0 BY LLANESCA T. PANTI, TMT ON DECEMBER 5, 2016

Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo on Sunday resigned as Housing secretary, claiming she was barred from attending Cabinet meetings starting today and that this was an indication of a Palace plot to unseat her.

In a statement, Robredo, head of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), said Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. had informed her not to show up at Cabinet meetings starting December 5.

“We received a text message last Saturday from Cabinet Secretary Jun Evasco Jr., relaying the President’s instruction through [presidential aide]Bong Go for me ‘to desist from attending all Cabinet meetings starting this Monday, December 5.’ This is the last straw, because it makes it impossible for me to perform my duties,” Robredo said.

“Hence, I am tendering my resignation from the Cabinet on Monday, December 5, 2016. With this resignation, you can expect that I will continue to support the positive initiatives of this administration and oppose those that are inimical to the people’s interest,” Robredo added.

Vice President Leni Robredo

“However, as your duly elected Vice President, I will not allow the Vice Presidency to be stolen. I will not allow the will of the people to be thwarted.”

Obstacles in HUDCC
Robredo, who was given the HUDCC portfolio in July, said she had been warned about plots to “steal” the vice presidency from her, but added she had ignored them and buckled down to work.

“We had hoped this day would not come. I had been warned of a plot to steal the Vice Presidency. I have chosen to ignore this and focus on the job at hand. But the events of recent days indicate that this plot is now being set into motion,” she said.

Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., whom Robredo defeated for the No. 2 post, has a pending electoral protest alleging massive cheating in the May elections.

Robredo pointed out that from the beginning of the administration, she and President Duterte had major differences, but they managed to worked together.

“Since I assumed office, I have been consistent in my opposition to issues such as the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani, extra-judicial killings, reinstating death penalty, lowering the age of criminal liability, and sexual attacks against women. But we both had a mandate to serve the people. I had hoped that this shared commitment to the poor and marginalized would transcend the differences between us. So, I took the job of Housing Secretary when it was offered to me,” she added.

Robredo said that in barely five months, she made a number of accomplishments in HUDCC despite certain obstacles. “One, the budget for all key shelter agencies in 2017 has been slashed by more than P19 billion. Two, all our key shelter agency appointment recommendations have not been acted on. Three, the executive order designed to make HUDCC effective was not signed,” she said.

‘Irreconcilable differences’
Evasco confirmed that President Duterte wanted Robredo banned in Cabinet meetings, citing irreconcilable differences.

Utos ni Pangulong Duterte [It was the President’s order]. If they cannot support what the President is doing, then they have to resign,” Evasco said over radio station DZMM.

Evasco, however, said the President did not ask for Robredo’s resignation.

“There were no instructions for VP Robredo’s termination. I tried to call her, but there was no response,” Evasco said.

Regarding the alleged plot to unseat her from the vice presidency, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said: “If there is a plot, that plot did not come from the camp of the president.”

“Tomorrow, let us see if the president actually accepts her resignation [from the Cabinet],” he added.

‘Writings on the wall’
Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Baguilat, a member of the Liberal Party where Robredo is a titular head, said the writings were all over the wall – Duterte wanted Robredo out of his Cabinet.

“It’s only right for her to quit the Cabinet because she’s no longer welcome in Malacañang. Preventing her from attending Cabinet meetings is already equal to asking her to resign,” Baguilat said.

Baguilat called on his party-mates to stand with Robredo in securing the vice presidency.

“The LP must now unite and make a party decision to protect her vice presidency, meaning the LP should break away from the majority coalition. It is an affront to our leadership,” Baguilat said, referring to the majority coalitions in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Another LP lawmaker, Rep. Arlene Bag-ao of Dinagat Islands, shared Baguilat’s sentiments.

“She was the last woman standing in the elections, but she is the first to truly fight for what is just and what is right in the Executive branch,” Bag-ao said in a statement.

“I have faith in what she said that at the end of the day, the good ones will prevail,” Bag-ao added.

http://www.manilatimes.net/robredo-quits-cabinet/300035/

Lawmakers want improved automated elections

Members of the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms agreed that overall, the May 2016 national and local elections were a success. But they stressed the need to improve the automated election system to enable the public to see how the counting of votes is actually done.

In a hearing on the assessment of the May 2016 polls, committee members acknowledged the claim of Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista that this year’s national and local elections surpassed the 2010 and 2013 elections in terms of higher voter turnout, establishment of accessible polling places for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs), and fewer number of election protests and election-related violence.

But the lawmakers stressed the need to further improve the automated election system for more transparency in future elections.

Rep. Sherwin Tugna (Party-list, CIBAC), committee chairman, lauded the Comelec for its performance in the May 2016 elections and for the positive data and analysis it provided the committee, but these did not include the automated election system.

“Well, I generally believe it was fine. But that does not encompass the other experiences of the other municipalities and provinces. The automated election system is subject to finetuning and improvement,” said Tugna.

Deputy Speaker and Cebu Third District Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia affirmed the success of the 2016 elections but expressed some doubts on the vote counting machines (VCMs). According to her there are some election results which are questionable.

“We now have a protest filed for the second highest position of the land. There continues to be the question about automated counting, parang nawawalan ng credibility. It is always subject to suspicion and questions. Ever since we started with automated elections, if you would go way back in 2010, ang daming mga protest kasi talagang hindi nakikita iyong pag count. I myself in 2013, I will show you with my own facts on the basis of the HRET (House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal) recount, my votes increased in the manual recount,” said Garcia.

The committee requested the Comelec to submit a report on the reliability of using the VCMs during the 2010, 2013 and 2016 national and local elections.

In response to the observations of the committee members, Bautista said the diagnostic study of the VCMs will be completed by February 2017. He said the results of the study will guide the Comelec in deciding whether to refurbish, lease or procure VCMs for the 2019 elections.

Bautista cited that more than P5 billion was spent by the government for the procurement and lease of the VCMs during the 2010 and 2016 elections.

Bautista urged the committee members to conduct an ocular inspection of the VCMs warehouse in Cabuyao, Laguna to personally gauge the condition of the machines and their maintenance and storage systems.

Meanwhile, other lawmakers lauded the Comelec for its efficiency during the recent elections. House Deputy Speaker Fredenil Castro recognized the accuracy and honesty of the Comelec under Bautista.

“It is far better than any of the elections prior, in terms of speed, in terms of order, in terms of accuracy, and in terms of honesty. It is far better than the rest of prior elections because we have a better chairman now,” said Castro.

Deputy Speaker and Marikina City Second District Rep. Romero “Miro” Quimbo said though the 2016 elections were not totally problem-free, overall, the elections were a success. “Dahil nakita natin yung will ng tao sa lalong mas mabilis na pamamaraan, which is the most important thing. Tingin ko kung bibigyan ko ng grado, bibigyan ko ng 87 ang Comelec sa kanilang nagawa,” said Quimbo.

Bautista said for the elections to enhance one’s voting experience, it should look out for the comfort and convenience of the voter. Moreover, a high voter turnout strengthens credibility.

He cited there was an all-time high of voter turnout in the 2016 polls compared to previous elections : 54,363,844 or 81.95 percent voter turnout in the 2016 elections; 50,653,828 or 74.99 percent turnout in 2010; and 51,345,478 or 77.57 percent turnout in 2013.

Meanwhile, Bautista said the voter turnout of overseas Filipino voters in the last elections were the following: 589,830 or 25.99% in 2010; 737,759 or 16.11% in 2013; and 1,376,067 or 31.25% in 2016.

Moreover, the local absentee voter turnout in 2010 was 25,663 or 74.33%; 12,732 or 65.59% in 2013; and 24,727 or 77.76% in 2016.

Bautista said the general strategy they implemented had the acronym ICE TEA or “Inspire the Comelec workforce, Consult, Engage stakeholders and Critics, be Transparent, Efficient and Accountable in the way they do things.”

Bautista likewise explained the mechanisms introduced by the Comelec to ensure that the elections were orderly and successful.

“That specific approach was to improve upon 2010 and 2013 performance, identify key result areas/performance indicators (KRAs/KPIs) and create a performance scorecard,” he said.

Bautista pointed out that for Automated Election System (AES) transparency, mock elections were done in nine locations in 2010; 28 locations in 2013; and 40 locations for 2016. A source code review was done a month before the 2010 elections and four days before the 2013 polls. Meanwhile, seven months before the 2016 elections, an initial review was conducted, and three months before the 2016 elections, a final review was done.

While there was no public ballot printing tracking system for the 2010 and 2013 elections, a tracking system was provided for in the 2016 polls. Also, while there was no results website for the 2010 and 2013 polls, a results website was installed for the 2016 elections, according to Bautista.

Bautista also informed the committee that additional needed reforms are on the way, not just in preparation for the midterm election in 2019 but for the 2022 elections.

Other House members present during the hearing were committee vice chairman Rep. Edward Vera Perez Maceda (4th District,Manila), Deputy Speaker and Batangas Second District Rep. Raneo Abu, Rep. Pablo Ortega (1s District, La Union), Rep. Luis Jose Angel N. Campos, Jr. (2nd District, Makati City), Rep. Deogracias Victor “DV” B. Savellano (1st District, Ilocos Sur), Rep. Eugene Michael B. De Vera (Party-list, ABS), Rep. Anthony Bravo (Party-list, COOP NATCCO), Rep. Joseph Stephen S. Paduano (Party-list, ABANG LINGKOD), Rep. Abigail Faye C. Ferriol Pascual (Party-list, KALINGA), Rep. Benhur B. Lopez Jr. (Party-list, YACAP), and Rep. Harlin Neil J. Abayon III (Party-list, AANGAT TAYO).

Oust-Tugade move gains steam posted December 04, 2016 at 11:13 pm by Rey E. Requejo

Consumer and commuter groups have joined forces to launch the Oust Tugade Movement—a call for the immediate removal of Secretary Arthur Tugade as head of the Department of Transportation.

According to Road Users Protection Advocates chairman Ray Junia, the alliance against Tugade’s continued stay in the DOTr, despite allegations of incompetence and conflict of interest with big companies involved in massive infrastructure projects of the government, will be launched officially on Tuesday.

“This is the product of RUPA’s efforts to come up with a solution to our traffic woes as well as to prevent corruption in the government,” he said.

“We are making a call for a clean government to protect the gains and visions of President Rodrigo Duterte,” Junia added.

He said the pro-Duterte group Kilusang Pagbabago, led by its national coordinator Bishop Nilo Tayag, have committed to join their group to support their efforts to have Tugade replaced.

“We have always suspected that the reason why the DOTr has not acted on the so-called low-lying fruits or solutions that can ease the traffic problem is to force the hand of Congress into approving its proposed emergency powers package,” Junia said.

“Once Tugade gets this special powers, the DOTr can now enter into negotiated contracts, and logic dictates that these will only benefit the former employers and friends of the present Transportation officials because they are all conflicted,” he added.

Earlier, RUPA said the resignation of Undersecretary for Rails Noel Kintanar was not enough to clean up the DOTr.

“We have likened this to a chess game where you sacrifice the rook to save the king. But it is the mastermind who must be removed. If there is anyone who should resign first, that should be Tugade. He is the most conflicted of them all,” Junia said.

Junia said both the House of Representatives and the Senate have “said in so many words that Tugade is not fit to head the DOTr.”

He said the powerful Commission on Appointments must stand by its decision not to confirm Tugade as Transportation chief although Malacañang has reappointed him.

RUPA earlier wrote the Commission on Appointments to register its opposition to Tugade’s appointment, scoring the latter for his “incredible and fantastic solutions” such as his plan to install cable cars over the length of Laguna de Bay as well as to transform the MRT Line 2 into a Bus Rapid Transit.

Two lawmakers have also pressed for the resignation of three more undersecretaries of the DOTr due to conflict of interest.

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo and Akbayan party-list Rep. Tom Villarin said the officials—Undersecretary for Air Operations Robert Lim, Undersecretary for Maritime Affairs Felipe Judan and Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Raoul Creencia—must resign immediately to spare the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte from accusations of corruption and irregularities.

The two joined several other lawmakers, led by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who have sought the ouster of the “conflicted” transportation officials.

Kintanar, who was previously with the Ayala Corp., was instrumental in the company’s acquisition of rail projects under the previous administration. Lim was a former country manager of the International Air Transport Association while Judan was formerly executive of a shipping business with Ramon Ang’s Petron as customer.

http://www.thestandard.com.ph/news/-main-stories/top-stories/223228/oust-tugade-move-gains-steam.html

Estrada inks P7.4-B reclamation project 0 BY JAIME PILAPIL, TMT ON DECEMBER 5, 2016

MANILA Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada over the weekend announced that he had signed an agreement with the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) forming a construction consortium to develop the P7.4-billion expansion of the Manila Harbour Centre in the Tondo area.

Estrada said the memorandum of understanding (MOU) officially sealed the partnership of the city government, PRA, and Romero-led R-II Builders Inc. for the multibillion-peso expansion of the 79-hectare port facility.

“This MOU is significant because it’s the start of more development projects in our city, with the full support of President Duterte,” the mayor said.

“This means more jobs, economic opportunities, and billions of revenues not only for the Manileños and the city of Manila but also for the entire country,” he added.

PRA chairman Alberto Agra said the agreement was the first MOU signed by the PRA, a government-owned and-controlled corporation that oversees reclamation development in the Philippines, under the Duterte administration.

“Clearly, this is a priority of President Duterte – to bring progress, create more communities, ease traffic, reduce poverty. His general order to everyone in the government is to fast-track development so we can build fast while complying with all the requirements,” Agra said.

To those who have generally opposed reclamation projects in the past, he said, “there will be no shortcut” in securing the necessary government permits and clearances before implementing their projects.

“We will never sacrifice when it comes to environment. That’s why we need to secure an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR),” said the PRA chief.

Reghis Romero II, chairman of R-II Builders, recalled that in his recent meeting with Duterte, the Chief Executive favored the immediate implementation of the Manila Harbour Centre project.

R-II Builders expects to secure all permits, particularly the ECC from the DENR, and the final approval of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) by January.

“Our next step is to apply for an ECC and by the end of January, we expect PRA or NEDA to issue us the Notice to Proceed,” said Romero.

The P7.4-billion project will reclaim 50 more hectares of Manila Bay to expand the reclaimed land area of the existing 79-hectare Manila North Harbour Centre, which includes the country’s biggest port for bulk and break-bulk cargoes operated by Harbour Centre Port Terminal Inc.

In August, the city council ratified the joint venture agreement the city government entered into with R-II Builders for the port expansion.

Under the joint venture, Manila will receive a 15-hectare portion of the reclaimed area, which the city government is planning to develop as a new industrial-commercial complex.

Romero said the port expansion was badly needed to make the operation of the Manila Harbour Centre at par with international standards.

With the expansion, the Harbour Centre will be able to handle larger vessels, reducing costs and speeding the process of cargo handling.

The increase in Manila Harbour Centre’s capacity will allow it to accommodate 14 to 16 large vessels at a time and more than double its current yearly cargo volume of 6 million metric tons.

The project will also deepen the draft of the port’s berth to four meters, allowing it to accommodate the port calls of large international vessels.

“With everything in place, we’ll be able to complete the construction by the end of 2017, because we’re using the most advanced method of reclamation,” Romero said.

http://www.manilatimes.net/estrada-inks-p7-4-b-reclamation-project/300037/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheManilaTimes+%28The+Manila+Times%29

Pangilinan group proposes tollway over C5 Road 0 BY JAMES KONSTANTIN GALVEZ, TMT ON DECEMBER 5, 2016

TOLL road operator Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) has submitted an unsolicited proposal to build an expressway on top of C5 Road to help decongest traffic in Metro Manila.

MNTC President and Chief Executive Officer Rodrigo Franco said the proposal for the elevated tollway was submitted to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Toll Regulatory Board.

“It will be in portions,” Franco told reporters at the sidelines of the inauguration of a road-widening project on North Luzon Expressway, which is being operated by MNTC.

MNTC is under the Manuel Pangilinan-led infrastructure conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. The C5 elevated tollway will be the group’s second major unsolicited proposal, after the Connector Road linking the North and South Luzon Expressway that was given the go-signal by the DPWH in September.

Franco said the elevated tollway on C5, which spans Quezon City, Pasig and Taguig, would serve as an alternate route on the second most important corridor in the metropolis.

But MNTC will first finish a 7.85-kilometer road linking Mindanao Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City that leads to C5, Franco said. The P8.6-billion “Segment 8.2” link starts from “Segment 8.1” on Mindanao Avenue that serves as an alternate route to the crowded NLEX Balintawak toll plaza.

Franco did not provide additional details on the C5 project, saying it was still on the “concept” stage. The design has yet to be completed, he added.

MNTC has also submitted a proposal to extend “Segment 10” that connects Manila’s port area to NLEX, Franco said.

Franco also said the Metro Pacific group would start construction of the P35.42-billion Cavite-Laguna Expressway (Calax) by the first quarter of 2017.

“We will most likely start with the Laguna portion,” said Franco, who is also the president and chief executive officer of MNTC’s parent firm Metro Pacific Tollways Corp.

Work progress, however, will depend on right-of-way acquisition, he said.

In June 2015, MPCALA Holdings Inc., a unit of Metro Pacific Tollways, won the bid for the 35-year contract to build, operate and maintain the 44.6-kilometer toll road linking Cavite and Laguna provinces.

http://www.manilatimes.net/pangilinan-group-proposes-tollway-c5-road/300032/

MNTC proposes elevated expressway along C-5 road

THE Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) has submitted to the government an unsolicited proposal for an elevated expressway along C-5 road in Ortigas, which is seen to decongest the traffic in the area.

MNTC President and Chief Executive Officer Rodrigo E. Franco said that they have already submitted a proposal to both Department of Public Works and Highways and the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) for the construction of an elevated expressway along C-5.

“It’s around C-5. It will reach that part. It’s by portions because we need to finish the extension to Mindanao Ave. to C-5. That’s in the concession,” Mr. Franco told reporters last Friday in Pampanga.

The proposed elevated road project will serve as an alternate route to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx), bypassing EDSA and the Balintawak toll plaza. MNTC is the builder and concessionaire of NLEx. 

The 7.85-kilometer C-5 link will start from the end of Segment 8.1 at Mindanao Ave. and end at Commonwealth Ave. in Quezon City.

Mr. Franco, however, did not provide additional details on the project, saying that they have yet to finalize the concept for the elevated expressway.

The MNTC president also revealed they have submitted to the TRB an official proposal for the extension of its NLEx Harbor Link Segment 10, which is estimated to cost between P6 billion and P7 billion. 

The project, Mr. Franco said, once approved may start immediately since there are no right-of-way issues. 

However, he said MNTC first has to complete the P8.6-billion NLEx C5-Link Project before undertaking its new elevated expressway.

On the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) project, Mr. Franco said that the start of the construction will push through to the first quarter of next year starting at the Laguna side with right-of-way issues expected to be delivered before construction commences.

MNTC moved to early 2017 the groundbreaking for the P62.72-billion CALAX which was earlier scheduled this year, as the government is still acquiring properties along the toll road’s route.

MNTC is a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), which is one of three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc. 

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Corporate&title=mntc-proposes-elevated-expressway-along-c-5-road&id=137251

MNTC proposes expressway on C5 posted December 04, 2016 at 09:05 pm by Darwin G. Amojelar

Manila North Tollways Corp. submitted an unsolicited proposal to the Duterte administration to build an overhead expressway around C5 to decongest Metro Manila.

“We are looking at few other [unsolicited] projects that we hope we will be able to submit proposals to the government. Actually we have one project that we submitted,” MNTC president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco said.

Franco said the company submitted to the Toll Regulatory Board and Public Works Department an unsolicited proposal to construct an elevated expressway around C5.

C5 Road, the second most important transportation corridor after Edsa, serves as a beltway around the city of Manila as it traverses the cities of Parañaque, Taguig, Makati, Pasig, Marikina, Quezon City and Valenzuela.

No other details were provided on the full concept of the project.

Franco said the company needed to complete first the P8.6-billion NLEx C5-Link Project before undertaking a new elevated expressway in C5 under unsolicited mode.

The 7.85-kilometer C5 link will start from the end of Segment 8.1 at Mindanao Ave. and end at Commonwealth Ave. in Quezon City.

The C5 link aims to decongest Metro Manila as it would provide alternative access to mainline North Luzon Expressway further east of Metro Manila, bypassing Edsa and Balintawak toll plaza.

Franco said for public private partnership projects, his company was interested in the P14.2-billion CLEX Phase 2 and Plaridel Bypass Toll Road Project.

CLEX Phase 2 is an extension of CLEX Phase I and will connect Cabanatuan City to San Jose City, also in Nueva Ecija. Phase 1 will be constructed by the government with funding from the government of Japan.

The Plaridel Bypass Toll Road is a 23.3-kilometer road starting at the Balagtas interchange in NLEx up to San Rafael, Bulacan.

The road project traverses five towns of Bulacan, including Balagtas, Guiguinto, Plaridel, Bustos and San Rafael. It involves the conversion of the existing road into a toll road.

http://thestandard.com.ph/business/223199/mntc-proposes-expressway-on-c5.html