JPJ: Mr. Integrity

The hands of Secretary Jose “Ping” de Jesus of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) must be full these days, considering the recent challenges in road and air transport.

Most recently, the accident at Commonwealth Ave. which claimed the life of a comrade in journalism, Chit Estella, required quick action from the dedicated energetic DOTC Chief. I understand, as of this writing, his road transport team, led by Usec Dante Velasco, called an urgent multi-sectoral meeting yesterday to organize what he called a “crack team” of enforcers composed of men and women of the Land Transportation Office, and the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group to man the “killer” avenue.

The DOTC top honcho also cracked the whip among his civil aviation agency heads to address the congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), and forthwith he came up with a quick solution to the congestion at the NAIA runway and terminal. He instructed the Manila International Airport Authority, the Civil Aeronautics Board, and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to better manage the use of the runway and terminal through a system of what he called “slotting” for take-off and landing to keep our air space safe for passengers and planes. Slotting means giving a “slot” for every take-off and landing of every aircraft, foreign and local.

I have no doubt that Secretary Ping, whom I have known for a considerable time now, is up to the challenge of running the DOTC, incidentally the biggest and most diverse department of the Executive Branch. The Ping I knew during the watch of the late former President Cory Aquino should be the same Ping making things happen at DOTC.

During Cory’s time, Ping completed vital infrastructure, notably the now famous flyovers that effectively added new roadways for steadily building up traffic on EDSA and other parts of Metro Manila. Add to that his sterling performance as Cory’s post-earthquake rehabilitation czar, after the killer earthquake in 1991. He presided over reconstruction efforts, and we were back to normal sooner than expected.

Wherever JPJ (as he is popularly called) went, he got things done — exceeding expectations. His stint at the Philippine Long Distance Co. (PLDT), leading a brilliant team dedicated to achieve “zero backlog,” was impressive. The opening of the most modern expressway, North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) introduced a new standard in building and running this tollway, combining profitability and a new level of service.

His last job in the private sector before he joined DOTC was as president of the Manila Electric Company. In his almost two years in the giant utility firm, he introduced the new concept of “easy-to-do-business-with” — which somehow introduced a new mode and tone as far as customer-driven policy and practice is concerned.

He joined the P-Noy government last July and, since that time, he took over the job with the same innovative and hands-on energy, accompanied by the virtues that have characterized his watch: honesty and integrity. Never has JPJ been involved in dirty deals — and so the “tuwid na landas” policy of the present Administration hews in perfectly with JPJ’s character and commitment.

Our message for DOTC Chief JPJ: Bring to bear your brilliance, integrity and passion results. We are right behind you!

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President Aquino has made it clear that he wants the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) elections postponed from August this year to Year 2013. At this time, a number of Muslims and Christians are still hopeful that Mr. Aquino will change his mind and allow the elections to be held in August 2011.

One of the oppositors to postponement is Bai Labi Amujadilla, a Marawi-based women’s organization. On the occasion of the celebration of Mother’s Day (May 9), the organization’s leader, Dr. Dalumabi Lao Bula, urged the President “not to invalidate one of the biggest contributions of his mother (the late President Cory Aquino) to the restoration of democracy in the country.”

Dr. Bula said Cory created ARMM with the help of one of her trusted lieutenants, former Senator Nene Pimentel, the father of the ARMM Law. She said that President Aquino would, in effect, be turning his back on what his mother worked so hard for if he will insist on resetting the ARMM election date.

The former senator from Cagayan de Oro City (which is not part of ARMM, though), said the President should “respect the autonomy of Muslim Mindanao and refrain from tampering with the spirit and letter of the 1987 Constitution which was adopted during the Cory presidency.”

Dr. Bula stressed that the peace and order situation in the ARMM has already stabilized, although there is a concern that some groups may want to paint a picture of rising criminality in the region to force the postponement of the ARMM election even in the absence of a law passed to effect it.

Like Pimentel, Dr. Bula has emphasized that only leaders with a clear mandate from the people, and not those appointed by Malacañang, can hope to get the cooperation and support of the people of ARMM.

Pimentel said holding the ARMM election as scheduled would minimize security concerns as the government, the police, the armed forces and the Comelec, as well as the public and poll watchdogs can focus on its conduct.

This focus will be dissipated, according to Pimentel, if the ARMM election is synchronized with the 2013 national and local election. Besides, considering the reality of the circuitous processes by which a law is passed, Pimentel said there is just not enough material time for the Senate to tackle the two ARMM poll postponement bills — HB 4146 and SB 2756.

If the Senate manages to reconcile the two, the combined bill will still have to pass through the bicameral committee before being subjected to a new round of voting at both houses of Congress.

But that’s just half the problem with the bills, said Pimentel, because the more important consideration is to subject any law passed to postpone the ARMM to a plebiscite. Any amendment to the ARMM Organic Law must be subjected to a plebiscite — and that will take a lot of time.

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