Rowegie Abanto

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., together with the First Family, lead the official launch of the Family Fare 1+3 Promo for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) and Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2)

Article (news)

Public officials on public transpo

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cuXQBAagaUQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>MANILA —  Top officials of the Department of Transportation were ordered to commute to the office or to their places of business at least once a week beginning Wednesday, September 17, to gather insights on improving the country&#x27;s mass transit.</p><p>Transportation Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez released the memorandum on Monday addressed to the following road and rail executives of the agency.</p><div><br/></div><p>• Undersecretary and Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Non-Infrastructure</p><p>• Undersecretary and Director for Road Transport and Infrastructure</p><p>• Undersecretary and Assistant Secretary for Railways</p><p>• Assistant Secretary, Executive Director, Regional Directors and Assistant Regional Directors, Land Transportation Office (LTO)</p><p>• Chairman, Executive Director, Regional Directors, and Assistant Regional Directors, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)</p><p>• The Administrator, Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA)</p><p>• The General Manager, Philippine National Railways (PNR)</p><p>• The General Manager, DOTr-MRT3</p><div><br/></div><p>The directive will push the officials to &quot;see and feel firsthand&quot; the grueling daily commute of millions of Filipinos and come up with more effective transportation policies, Lopez said in a statement released Monday, adding that he is also encouraging officials in other sectors to replicate his initiative.</p><p>Every week, the transportation executives were ordered to submit proof of compliance, such as photos or tickets, as well as recommendations on how to improve the public transportation.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/technology/2025/6/29/gen-z-filipinos-making-apps-to-innovate-in-transportation-housing-agri-sectors-2059">Gen Z Filipinos making apps to innovate in transportation, housing, agri sectors</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;LIKE A WARZONE&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>On Tuesday, Lopez shared what prompted him to issue the memorandum. </p><p>He told ANC it took him three hours to reach the office when he used public transportation on Monday.</p><p>He described his commute &quot;like in a warzone,&quot; observing that &quot;everyone was scrambling&quot; to get a ride and that there was &quot;no system&quot; in place.</p><p>&quot;The report we&#x27;re receiving that there is enough supply [of public transportation] is not true at all,&quot; said Lopez.</p><p>When Lopez arrived at the office, he talked to officials and<strong> </strong>decided they had to go on the ground.<strong></strong></p><p><strong></strong>&quot;Kailangan n&#x27;yong maramdaman ano ang nangyayari because that&#x27;s the only way we can issue good policy, actual policies,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Tama na ang bola na nanggagaling sa mga staff. Iba ang naririnig, iba ang sinasabi at iba &#x27;yung talagang nakikita at nararamdaman.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;REASONABLE&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Malacañang sees nothing wrong with the DOTr directive to have its personnel commute to work. </p><p>“Kung ano man po ang magiging polisya ng anumang departamento, kung ito ay risonable at hindi hahadlangan ang mga karapatang pantao, hindi ito hahadlangan ng Pangulo,” Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a Palace briefing.</p><p>“Maganda naman po ang magiging adhikain nito para kung sinuman po ang mga public officials natin ay talagang maranasan kung ano ang nararanasan ng mga pangkaraniwang mananakay,” she said.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YRB_tlh2_zQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The directive will push the officials to "see and feel firsthand" the grueling daily commute of millions of Filipinos and come up with more effective transportation policies.</p>

The directive will push the officials to "see and feel firsthand" the grueling daily commute of millions of Filipinos and come up with more effective transportation policies.

DOTr officials ordered to take public transport at least once a week

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DOTr officials ordered to take public transport at least once a week

Rowegie Abanto,

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 16, 2025 11:24 AM PHT

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Updated Sep 16, 2025 01:55 PM PHT

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