His Excellency
President Rodrigo R. Duterte
Malacanan, Manila
Attn: Hon. Arthur P. Tugade
Secretary, DOTC
Mandaluyong City
Hon. Martin B. Delgra III Hon. Edgar C. Galvante
Chairman, LTFRB Assistant Secretary, LTO
East Ave., Quezon City East Avenue, Quezon City
Dear Mr. President:
For so long, we have been the recipients of poor and inefficient service from incompetent and corrupt personnel of the DOTC-CAR and its two (2) agencies, the LTFRB-CAR and the LTO-CAR.
DOTC-CAR was established almost at the same time as DOTC CARAGA on experimental basis by then DOTC Secretary Rainerio Reyes for the purpose of combining the functions of LTO, LTFRB and supposedly other DOTC sectoral offices in the administrative regions and put them all under the control and supervision of the Department through only one regional director. It was not implemented in all administrative regions as intended however, hence, we have LTO, LTFRB and other sectoral offices still separate from each other under one (1) regional director.
Not that this experiment of small DOTC in the region was an structure not suited or unwieldy to manage but, just like in the case of DOTC-CAR, the defect lies in the caliber of regional directors appointed by the President who were not qualified to handle an expanded regional office. So, we have had regional directors incapable and incompetent to render proper service and to stop FIXING ACTIVITIES and RED TAPES which are the roots of corruption in the DOTC-CAR particularly in the LTFRB-CAR and the LTO-CAR, despite Rep. Act. 6713 and Rep. Act 9485.
Corruption in the DOTC-CAR perpetrated through fixing activities and red tape primarily account for the following irregularities to date, among which are the following:
1. Thousands of irregularly-issued PUV franchises many of which were granted fraudulently and spuriously, notwithstanding the moratorium existing in Baguio City and other parts of CAR since 1998 to the present, thus contributing to the worsening traffic congestion of Baguio City.
2. Failure of its law enforcers to contain continuous colorum and out-of-line operations of PUVs, thereby also causing the almost debilitating traffic congestion during peak hours in the city.
3. Inefficiency and corrupt practices of DOTC-CAR personnel concerned who because of corruption, allow and tolerate for-hire motor vehicles to use the city roads and streets as garage and terminals.
4. The inability of officials and rank-and-file personnel in the DOTC/LTO/LTFRB-CAR to efficiently and competently perform their duties and functions on time, even as they are prescribed in their respective Citizens Charter.
With all due respect Mr. President, I have to call the attention of the Honorable Secretary since his Department exercises administrative control and supervision over all DOTC-CAR personnel; the Honorable Chairman of LTFRB whose Board exercises operational control over the franchising and regulatory function of LTFRB-CAR; and the Honorable Assistant Secretary of the LTO whose Office exercises operational control over the registration of motor vehicles, licensing of drivers and law enforcement functions of the LTO-CAR, all of whom I believe can do so much to address the irregularities in the DOTC-CAR, besieged by inefficiency and corruption.
Mr. President as a citizen and advocate of good governance, I have a duty to bring out these problems to your attention. I am ready to furnish all concerned the details of how these problems in the DOTC-CAR have come about.
Thank you very much, mabuhay po kayo!
Very respectfully,
Atty. James S. Valeros
(This letter was sent before the President’s Memorandum ditching
“His Excellency” and the term “Honorable,” in the case of cabinet members- JSV)
