By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Reporter

THE LAND Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Monday asked Philippine congressmen to let it tap the private sector for the state’s transport modernization program in the absence of a budget from Congress next year.

“The [reform] provision [that Congress can provide is] a legislative framework for the PUV modernization program such that there would be an appropriation for the continued implementation of the PUVMP (Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program),” LTFRB officer-in-charge Mercy Jane Paras-Leynes told the House transportation committee.

“If the legislative framework would take time, then maybe allowing us to tap other private or educational institutions, [and] non-government organizations to continue with the study of the routes and so that the rationalization of the routes would be more holistic and more integrated,” she said.

Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said in September that the PUV modernization program will continue despite receiving zero funding for next year.

The committee also cited in contempt Jeffrey G. Tumbado, a former executive assistant to suspended LTFRB chairman Teofilo E. Guadiz, III.

Mr. Tumbado told congressmen that he has no evidence linking Mr. Guadiz III to corrupt practices in the LTFRB, noting that this was only his “opinion,” but said he heard about the alleged acts within the agency from transport operators.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. suspended Mr. Guadiz III on Oct. 9 for alleged corruption in the agency. This came hours after Mr. Tumbado said in a press conference that Mr. Guadiz and other transportation officials received money in exchange for franchises, routes, special permits and other documents from the agency.

Two days later, Mr. Tumbado recanted his statement and issued a sworn affidavit as a public apology to Mr. Guadiz. However, when asked during the Monday committee meeting if all the statements in the affidavit were true, Mr. Tumbado said in Filipino: “Not everything written there is true… as I said, my mind was confused back then.”

At the hearing, Mr. Guadiz said that the LTFRB is not the sole authority in approving PUV franchises.

“No single person has the power to approve franchises. We need the LGUs (local government units), the DoTr (Department of Transportation), and we need also other government agencies, it’s not LTFRB alone,” he told congressmen.

SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said on Monday that his cousin the President’s trip to Saudi Arabia last week will be generating over 200,000 jobs for Filipinos.

“This visit reaffirms the commitment of our government to support and protect the rights and welfare of our overseas Filipino workers, who have played a pivotal role in enhancing the lives of their families and the entire nation,” Mr. Romualdez said in a statement.

He said one of the major agreements signed was a $3.77-billion deal made was between the Association of Philippine Licensed Agencies for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi-based Al-Jeer Human Resources Company (ARCO).

He said that the job opportunities would help Saudi Arabia diversify its economy, improve infrastructure, advance digitalization, and create competitive business environments, also known as Saudi Vision 2030.

Mr. Marcos’ trip to Riyadh last week with Saudi business leaders at the 2023 ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit brought in $4.2 billion in investment pledges.

He added that Saudi business leaders expressed “keen interest” in the Maharlika Investment Fund, which Mr. Marcos said was operational by yearend despite suspension of its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for further study.

Filipino firm EEI Corp. also signed an agreement valued at $120 million with Al Rushaid Petroleum Investment Company & Samsung Engineering NEC Co. Ltd., which will establish a 500-person construction training facility in Tanza, Cavite, which is 43.6 km away from the capital region.

The House leader said that the facility will train Filipinos’ skills in masonry, carpentry, electrical, welding, equipment management, warehousing, and steel fabrication beginning next year and will train more than 15,000 in the next five years.

Two separate agreements with an estimated worth of $191 million was also signed between Maharah Human Resources Company of Saudi and Filipino firms Staffhouse International Resources Corporation and E-GMP International Corporation.

The agreements aim to onboard 10,000 Filipino workers to Saudi Arabia yearly until 2030.

Mr. Romualdez said that the President’s meeting with Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal last week could resolve labor issues between the two countries.

“This encounter brings hope for the restoration of diplomatic relations between our two nations, which had previously been strained due to labor issues and the need to protect the welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers,” he said in a separate statement on Sunday.

Mr. Marcos at the weekend said that the ban on the deployment of Filipino first-time household workers to Kuwait would end soon.

The ban was enforced after the murder of OFW Jullebee Ranara, who was reportedly abused and killed brutally, then left in a desert by the 17-year-old son of her employer in January. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz