If you can vote for the next transport czar, who would it be?

THE SAD truth is that we’ve outgrown Edsa itself.

HANDS down, or faces palmed, the transportation department of this country is a mess, if we base it solely on the innumerable rants from netizens on social media and traditional media consumers who have had to deal with the daily calvary of commuting, driving and being harried pedestrians on the streets of our urban jungles, most especially in our nation’s capital region.

To be fair to the favorite “whipping boys” of the transport offices, the times are unprecedented in local transport history, and it would take more than just pencil pushing to understand the complex workings of this country’s transport system. But folks, the golden age of motorization didn’t happen overnight, and there were plenty of road signs along the way. Yes, dear public servants, you had years to solve this homework. Cramming won’t do the trick this time.

The May 9 national and local polls are a do-or-die of sorts, especially for our leaders in the transport sector. Whoever the next President of the republic appoints to that unenviable post of transportation secretary must be ready to think both inside and out of the (yellow) box. Otherwise, it’ll all be another same-same, ho-hum, road rage-able situation in and out of our urban communities.

The transport situation here is so precarious that we’d like to think the choice for the next transport czar shouldn’t be left to the sole judgement of the Commander in Chief. So, Inquirer Motoring asked its sources a most timely query: For the next administration, who would you like to be the next transportation secretary and why? Here’s what they had to say:

Alberto Suansing, secretary general of the Philippine Global Road Safety Partnership, said that his nominee would be transport consultant Rene Santiago.

“He’s good in transport planning. He’s incorruptible,” said Suansing, a former Land Transportation Office chief and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chair.

Suansing added: “Many problems that beset transportation today are brought about by the inaction in rail, land, water and air transportation. It’s a good thing that communications are now separate from the DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications).”

Mandy Eduque, Automobile Association Philippines motorsports committee chair, said: “I can’t think of one individual. There are a number of qualified people. I just would like him or her to be a technocrat with a proven management experience, and not a political appointee. We have seen the horrors that result when the latter type is appointed.”

Eduque further stressed: “No need for prior DOTC or government experience. In fact, better if none so there is a fresh outlook and no tainted reputation. A good, solid, honest manager is what the DOTC needs.”

Veteran auto expert Johnny Angeles said: “Former DOTC Secretary Oscar Orbos would fit because of the following reasons: He’s a ‘hands-on’ secretary and tireless; Never been involved in corruption in government; and consults his staff and experts on his plan to solve traffic problems.”

Architect and urban planner Felino A. Palafox Jr. said: “The best, most experienced, honest technocrat would be Teodoro Encarnacion. He served as assistant secretary of the DPWTC (Department of Public Works, Transportation and Communications), then undersecretary of the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways), with honesty and integrity, a professional and a gentleman, top graduate of UP College of Engineering and School of Urban and Regional Planning. He served the longest of the DPWTC and DPWH secretaries. Teddy Encarnacion, I’m told, had the highest academic grades in engineering and environmental planning at UP.”

Lawyer Robby Consunji, Top Gear Philippines columnist, said: “Sorry, I have no nominee for DOTC secretary; its a tough and thankless job. To nominate a friend is to punish him or her. To say the DOTC backlog is humongous is a gross understatement.”

Automobile expert Alex P. Loinaz said: “I don’t know of anyone who is familiar or has a background in road, sea or air transport. As long as his undersecretaries are known experts on those specific fields things should work out. The best one I had a chance to work with was Usec Arturo Valdez for road transport and traffic. A council or group of private, academe and traffic experts should be created.”

Car collector Don Robert Bautista said: “I want the next DOTC secretary to be Richard Gordon. I believe that he can clean the corruption in the DOTC and improve the transportation section. He had accomplished many things in Subic. And no signs of corruption.”

Top Gear Philippines writer Niky Tamayo said: “I’m thinking Francis

Tolentino would not be such a bad idea. In his time with the MMDA, he proved receptive to criticism, and his push for modernization via social media feedback and receptiveness was a big boon to the agency. Of course, I’d love for someone like Miriam or Gordon to be there… Gordon has proven organizational skills, and Miriam is still the best department head this government has ever had in any position. But those two are busy elsewhere.

So, will the next President care to listen?