Road Board abolition sought

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III has called for the abolition of the Road Board, whose usefulness has been outweighed by constant allegations of fund misuse.

Pimentel said he has received numerous reports of irregularities taking place in the Road Board especially during the previous administration.

“The Aquino administration should clean up this agency pursuant to its commitment to the ‘daang matuwid’ or the ‘straight path’ advocacy,” Pimentel said.

 “So many questions have been raised about the actuations of the Road Board. For example, why is it that its road works are limited only to asphalt overlay, and concreting is not allowed? Is it because they make money from this?” he added.

The Road Board is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and is tasked to manage the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC) or the Road User’s Tax collected from motorists.

An average of P6.5 billion is collected from the MVUC annually, which is used for road maintenance, road safety and anti-pollution programs.

Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said there would be a 30 percent increase in the MVUC, spread out over three years, starting next year.

According to Pimentel, the Road Board’s rules are too informal, allowing verbal requests to overrule written ones.

“The President should take a close look at the operations of the Road Board to determine whether it is really performing its mandate,” Pimentel said.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago previously called for the proceeds of the Road User’s Tax to go directly to the National Treasury so Congress would have the power to go over its appropriation.

“Until the recent past, the fund was deposited directly to the Department of  Public Works and Highways and released by the Road Fund Board without congressional scrutiny,” Santiago said.

Santiago had delivered a privilege speech during the Arroyo administration where she alleged that around P60 billion of the Road User’s Tax proceeds were used irregularly.

The Road Board was established through Republic Act 8794, or the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge Act, to ensure the adequate maintenance of national and provincial roads through sufficient funding for the purpose.

“I find it really disturbing that monies collected under RA 8794 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations have apparently been diverted to private pockets for many years now, with the result that our road system is poorly maintained and presents a grave and present danger to public safety,” Pimentel said.