Sen. Grace Poe. INQUIRER file photo / LYN RILLON
Senator Grace Poe has asked the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to reinstate board member Aileen Lizada as the agency鈥檚 spokesperson.
Poe聽made the聽request during聽Monday鈥檚 continuation of the Senate committee on public services鈥� hearing on the proposed public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program. Poe is the chairperson of the Senate panel.
鈥淢arami na kayong inaasikaso (You have too much on your plate). Kailangan namin ng isang tao na magbibigay sa amin ng update (We need someone who can give us update). Ibalik nyo na si (Bring back) Atty. Lizada,鈥� said Poe, who was apparently making a request to LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra, who was present in the hearing.
And to Lizada, who also attended the hearing, Poe said: 鈥淪ana naman bumalik na kayo as spokesperson (I hope you come back as spokesperson).鈥�
Responding to the senator鈥檚 request, Delgra said they have yet to discuss the matter.
鈥淎h bakit (Why)?鈥� Poe asked.
The senator went on, and reiterated her appeal, saying if the LTRFB chair has good faith, he would appoint a spokesperson who would listen to the sentiments of the people.
But for Efren de Luna, chair of Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (ACTO), Lizada should be appointed not just as spokesperson but as chair of the LTRFB.
鈥淎ng minumungkahi po ng transport, gawin na lang natin syang chairman (What the transport sector is suggesting is to make [Lizada] the chairman [of LTFRB]),鈥� De Luna said.
鈥淪a鈥檡o nanggaling 鈥榶an, hindi sa akin (That came from you, not from me),鈥� Poe said.
The senator then asked the resource persons to give Delgra a chance but stressed that, 鈥淲e just need somebody to communicate.鈥�
鈥淜asi (Because) if we don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 going on inside, we鈥檙e highly suspicious. 鈥榊un lang naman 鈥榶un (That鈥檚 just it),鈥� Poe added. /kga