Duterte wants P46-B road tax used for disaster areas

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte wants to use the proceeds of the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge or road-user’s tax to fund the rehabilitation of disaster-affected areas and mitigation purposes, particularly the Bicol region. 

“Once that road tax money is paid you will be the first recipient because you are always hit by calamities – there’s about P46 billion. Once we get that money we can use it here in Bicol and other areas. I hope they would hear my appeal to spend the money in Bicol,” the President said during the situation briefing on Friday in Pili, Camarines Sur. 

For their part, local government officials suggested that Bicol River should be dredged to prevent more flooding.

The President said the funding for the dredging could also be taken from the road user’s tax.

Duterte cited members of the House of Representatives for agreeing with him on the abolition of the Road Board that oversees the road users tax.

The President stressed that the road user’s tax has long been the milking cow of corrupt politicians.

Duterte added that the road user’s tax could also be used for building evacuation centers as he lamented the use of public schools for the purpose.

Housing projects may also be constructed, he said.

The death count in Bicol, the Visayas and Southern Tagalog has risen from 122 on Friday to 126 yesterday, the National Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported.

NDRRMC executive director and Office of Civil Defense administrator Ricardo Jalad said of this number, the death of eight persons has been verified and confirmed while the remaining fatalities are still undergoing validation.

Jalad said the Management of the Dead and Missing of the Department of the Interior and Local Government is preparing documents.

“Our retrieval teams are having difficulty in pulling out of the sticky mud the bodies in the landslide area,” Camarines Sur Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office spokesperson Liezl Macatangay told The STAR.

Brigada Eskwela

As this developed, the Department of Education (DepEd) will organize a special Brigada Eskwela to mobilize stakeholders to rehabilitate schools affected by Usman in Bicol.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones, who accompanied President Duterte during the inspection of affected areas on Friday, said the cost of damage to education facilities in Region 5 is estimated to be around P237 million.

She said this excludes the damage on computers, textbooks and other school supplies.

“The quick response fund worth P2 billion is now nearly exhausted due to the typhoons, including Usman. In coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, DepEd will launch a special Brigada Eskwela in Region 5, just like in Marawi,” said Briones.

“Our immediate response is to mobilize the entire country, especially the public sector, in an organized matter to mitigate the effects of disasters,” she added.

Go provides assistance

Former special assistant to the president Christopher “Bong” Go has provided assistance to hundreds of victims of Usman in the Bicol Region. 

His friends in the government helped him secure financial assistance from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., especially for those who lost family members, Go said. 

“Together with my friends, we continue to help for as long as we could,” Go added.  

Go accompanied President Duterte on an aerial survey of storm-hit areas in Camarines Sur, including Iriga City, Nabua, Bula, Baao and Sagñay to see the extent of the damage of Usman. 

Duterte has directed local officials to do what is necessary to restore normalcy as he also vowed to assist in the rehabilitation efforts of the government, Go said. 

“The President’s order is for everything to be back to normal,” Go told reporters. 

In another development, Go could not help but laugh off the fake news circulating in micro-blogging site Twitter that the helicopter he was riding figured in a crash in Albay. 

Go, a senatorial candidate in the midterm elections in May, said he has no ill feelings against people who spread fake news against him but only prayers for their peace of mind. 

An alleged anti-Duterte twitter account (@AltGovPH) posted yesterday: “Developing: AFP chopper (transporting) Bong Go (crashed-landed) in Albay.” Despite the negative reports against him, Go said he would continue serving the Filipino people. 

3 candidates

Duterte again pushed for the senatorial bids of the three candidates he would want elected in the coming May midterm polls.

The President pitched for Go, former Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa and former political adviser Francis Tolentino.

Vouching for the integrity and dedication of the three, the President added that he needed them in the remaining years of his administration. – With Jaime Laude, Cet Dematera, Janvic Mateo, Robertzon Ramirez