By Jose Cielito Reganit/PNA
MANILA — The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on second reading a new bill that would “genuinely abolish” the graft-ridden Road Board.
House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. led the introduction of the new measure with “perfecting amendments” to the original House Bill (HB) No. 7436.
In an earlier press briefing, Andaya vowed to pass the substitute measure as soon as possible and submit the bill to the Senate by Monday or Tuesday for its approval.
The new bill contains amendments that were agreed upon during a meeting among Andaya, Senate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri, and Senator Ralph Recto on Tuesday night.
“We have agreed in principle last night that the Road Board will now be abolished and, that the funds collected from the road users’ tax will be transferred to the General Fund. Therefore, it will be now covered by the General Appropriations Act,” Andaya said.
The House leader said this is totally different from the provisions of HB 7436, which was approved during the time of then, speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.
While the previous version sought to abolish the graft-ridden Road Board, the management and control of the motor vehicle user’s charge (MVUC) collections will be transferred to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Transportation (DOTr), and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Under the previous bill, the collections shall be allocated in four special trust accounts in the National Treasury: 40 percent each for the Special National Road Support Fund and the Special Local Road Support Fund under the DPWH, 10 percent for the Special Pollution Control Fund under the DENR, and 10 percent for the Special Vehicle Pollution Control Fund under the DOTr.
On September 12, the Senate adopted HB 7436, dispensing the need for a bicameral conference between the two Chambers.
On the same day however, the House, now led by Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, rescinded its approval of HB 7436, leading to an impasse.
Andaya said the House-Senate consensus and the subsequent approval of the substitute bill spared President Rodrigo Duterte from signing a defective bill, which some powerful interests wanted him to.
“The attempt to hoodwink the President has been foiled,” he said.
The Camarines Sur lawmaker said they expect to immediately convene a bicameral conference committee meeting next week once the Senate approves the bill.
“We are glad that, finally, a bill which will genuinely abolish the Road Board, and treat MVUC collections as part of the General Fund, under the one fund concept, is now on the way to the President,” Andaya said.
