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Transport modernization, cycling to reduce public dependence on oil, says JV Ejercito

August 07, 2023

Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on Monday said modernizing the country’s mass transit system and promoting cycling and other active transport options can unburden commuters amidst increasingly frequent spikes in the price of crude oil.

A staunch advocate of transportation modernization, Ejercito said he is confident that completing the country’s railway systems will significantly reduce the cost of moving around its urban centers.

“Matagal ko nang tinutulak yung transportation modernization. Although may ilang taon pa ang mga ‘to, tingin ko, ito talaga ang makakatulong sa’tin. Pag nag-online na yung mga railway systems natin, malaki ang maitutulong niyan kasi siyempre, mas mura ang cost of transportation sa tren,” he said in an interview.

During the Senate’s deliberations on the 2023 national budget, Ejercito successfully secured additional funding for the North-South Commuter Railway Project and the Metro Manila Subway Project.

Moreover, the lawmaker from San Juan said the emergence of other “environmentally friendly” and “cost-efficient” modes of transportation, such as electric vehicles, should now be considered in the country’s infrastructure programs.

“Itong mga electric vehicles, pumapasok na rin. Maganda ang tax break na binibigay sa electric vehicles so, at least, hindi mo na kailangang problema ang gasolina,” Ejercito said.

“Kailangan damihan pa yung mga charging stations. Sa Metro Manila, may mga charging station. Ang problema, pag lumuwas ka na sa probinsya,” he added.

Shortly after his reelection to the Senate, Ejercito filed Senate Bill No. 158, which seeks to create and institutionalize a comprehensive infrastructure development master plan.

The plan would cover several areas of development, such as transportation and logistics, energy, water resources, information and communications technology, social infrastructure, agri-fisheries modernization and food logistics, and asset preservation and maintenance strategies. 

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