Saturday, December 20, 2008 Truckers' new rep not known yet By Jovi T. De Leon
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Federation of Pampanga Truckers Inc.’s (FPTI) new representative to the Technical Working Group (TWG) may have to wait a little longer to be recognized.
Provincial Administrator Vivian Dabu on Thursday said there is a problem on the appointment and endorsement of Ariel Laxa, the FPTI's official representative to the TWG, replacing Michael Tapang of the Small Scale Quarry Operators.
According to Dabu, the federation sent them a letter, but was signed by "a few people only," mainly the Board of Trustees. "What we need to see is his appointment being approved by the whole of its membership," she added.
The letter informed Dabu and Governor Eddie Panlilio of Laxa's appointment to the FPTI. Panlilio is the chair of the TWG that was created by an ordinance seeking to regulate the hauling and transporting of quarry-derived materials within the province.
Truckers endorsed Laxa as the official representative to the multi sectoral working group to replace Tapang, whom they wanted off the TWG because of what they alleged as "vested interests."
It noted that Laxa's appointment was in response to Panlilio's decision to replace Tapang "right here, right now, if the truckers already have somebody in mind."
The governor issued the statement during last Monday's Stakeholders' Meeting at Benigno Hall of the Capitol here.
Laxa and new FPTI president Benedicto Lacsamana said "that was agreed in principle" during the meeting where the truckers protested Tapang's seat in the TWG.
The truckers also assailed loopholes in the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the ordinance and its early implementation without proper consultation with other stakeholders like the FPTI, which they said would be most affected.
"But that was not what the governor meant because his (Laxa) sitting in the TWG has to pass through the assessment of group representatives and the chairman. Besides, only their board of trustees, who have a problem within themselves, signed the appointment when it should be the majority of its membership. That was one very important point the governor made. So how can we immediately recognize Laxa's appointment?" Dabu said.
For his part, Laxa said the problem of the board is "internal and has nothing to do with his appointment as representative of the federation to the TWG.
"Why does Dabu meddle on these issues when she is not, as we said, a member of the TWG or the Accreditation Committee?" Laxa asked.
He added: "It is okay if she wants Tapang to stay in the TWG as representative of the small scale quarry operators. But the truckers must and should have a seat in the TWG because we are the ones directly affected by the ordinance. The sooner our concerns are heard by the TWG, the better for the stakeholders"
Dabu, in response, said she has the right to do so because she needs to oversee the implementation of the ordinance. "As a consultant of the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board and the TWG and chair of Task Force Balas, which is involved in monitoring quarry operations, I have to see that no problems would arise upon its implementation. It is imperative that I should know everything about it since the TWG and the Accreditation Committee do consultations with my office."
Dabu added that for now, the federation's request for Laxa to sit in the TWG would have to wait pending evaluation and until the FPTI submits another endorsement signed by its general membership.
"But it doesn't mean they will not have a say on the TWG and the implementation of the ordinance. It really just has to pass through due processes which may take some time," she clarified.
Meanwhile, Tapang told Sun.Star Friday that the federation's "attacks" on him are turning to be "personal" as they seem to be out to discredit him and his family.
Tapang denied reports that he was threatening truckers in quarry sites of "not loading their trucks if they do not get themselves accredited."
He said this was very clear during the Stakeholders' Meeting that such is a requirement in order to "put teeth" into the Provincial Government's efforts to curb overloading and stop its ill effects on roads and bridges in the province.
"Why would I do that? When I am not a member of the accreditation committee, much more have a hand on the IRR and the ordinance itself? I dare them to show documents or evidence that I threatened any trucker," said Tapang.
Tapang said he is being "hit below the belt" by his former colleagues at the federation with the accusations that he has vested interests in the implementation of the ordinance, favoring a certain group of truckers and having other intentions to the detriment of the federation.
