Recto backs MCDA bill

CEBU, Philippines - Reelectionist Senator Ralph Recto vowed to pass legislation that would address the traffic problem in Cebu.

During his visit yesterday to Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III, Recto promised to support the creation of the Mega Cebu Development Authority.

"I'd be glad (to support its passage) in the Senate. Sino ang hindi gusto nito?" he said.

House Bill 6227 or the proposed "Mega Cebu Development Act of 2015," authored by Cebu City North District Representative Raul del Mar, was approved in February at the committee level of the House of Representatives. A counterpart bill is needed at the Senate.

The bill aims to promote and accelerate the sustainable development and balanced growth of the Province of Cebu and the highly urbanized cities of Cebu and Lapu-Lapu, within the context of national policies for economic, social and environmental well-being of the people.

Recto said Cebu needs the MCDA, private sectors, urban planners and visionaries to plan for Cebu's traffic with growing population and people start moving to the urban centers.

He said Cebu's population would increase by at least 600,000 in the next few years and simultaneously vehicles would also grow in numbers.

He said traffic here is "similar" to Manila, where commuters and vehicle owners experience bumper-to-bumper traffic. Data from Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas in 2014 shows that there are 681,033 motor vehicles registered.

With increasing population and number of vehicles, Recto said Cebu has to have rapid bus transit system, MRT, new circumferential road, and third bridge, among others. To aid traffic problems, he said there is a need for Cebu to have more roads and bridges.

Rector said he will also help to realize the P150 million feasibility study on a road network master plan for 13 towns and cities, from Carcar City to Danao City.

His other legislative agenda includes expansion of budget, beneficiaries and coverage of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development; free health care, education and Wi-Fi, a popular term for a high-frequency wireless local area network (WLAN) technology.

Recto said this is part of his HEARTS program, which stands for Health care, Education, Agriculture, Roads and infrastructure, Tourism and Technology, Security and Social protection.

He promised to create more shipbuilding industry and develop more IT-BPO industry here. But he said a faster telecommunications and Internet service should be made available first.

 "You need a fast and cheaper Internet. Imagine how many jobs that would create. If we have free internet, more tourist would be coming in," he said.

IT-BPO industry expects to see at least 15 to 18 percent expansion, which translates to 20,000 new job opportunities this year.

In 2015, an estimated P36.8 billion was released by the BPO sector in terms of salary to employees. Cebu contributes only 10 percent of the outsourcing employment and revenue to the entire IT-BPO sector.

To have a productive province, he said universal health care coverage is needed.

"If all taxes from cigarettes and alcohol were to be used for health insurance then all Filipinos will be covered with health care," he said.

Alongside with health care, he said security must also be prioritized. — (FREEMAN)