; March 20, 2019
Duterte signs law abolishing
Road BoarrC; funds to Treasury
By BERNADETTE D. N\coLAs
RESIDENT Duterte has
approved the abolition of the
controversial Road Board that
will allow the government to direCtly
remit road users'tax collections tg
the National Treasury to fund priority
public projects.
D{telte's signing of Republic
Act (RA) 11239 on March 8-re-
leased to the media only on Tues-
day-came as the Palace awaits
the Senate and the House ofRep-
resentatives resolution of the 2019
national budget impasse.
The President earlier said the so-
called Motor Vehicle User's Charge
(MVUC) collections have been a bridges and road drainage to be
source ofcorruption for lawmakers
and public officials.
Prior to the enactment of the
I @BNicolnsBM
Iaw, the Road Board managed the
MVUC fund, or the tax imposed
on road users.
Under RA 11239, MVUC col-
lections shall be remitted to the
National Treasury under a special
account in the general fund solely
for the construction, upgrading,
repair and rehabilitation of roads,
included in the annual GeneralAp-
propriations Act.
The Departments ofBudget, Pub-
u py1ga-A.,z,
P15B
The estimated fund pool
from the road users'tax,
as ofJanuary. The money is
being eyed as source for the
rehabilitation of Manila Bay,
estimated to cost P47 billion
licWorksandHighways (DPWH) arid
Transportation havebeen tasked to
formulate the implementing rules
and regulations within 30 days from
the effectivity of the law.
The DPWH is also tasked to ab
sorb the employees ofthe secretariat
of the abolishedRoadBoard as need-
ed, without diminution of salaries
and benefits, Those separated from
the service as a result ofthe agency's
abolition shallbe entitled to receive
separation benefits.
Moreover, the DPWH shall be
subrogated to all the rights and as-
u
sume all obligations and liabilities
of the Road Board, and all records,
propertt assets, equipment and
funds, including unexpended ap-
propriations or allocations shall be
transferred to the DPWH.
A Congressional Oversight Com-
mittee shall also monitor the new
lawt implementation as amended
and the use of special funds estab-
lished therein.
Malacaflang earlier said the
money for the Manila Bay reha-
bilitation would likely be sourced
from the road users' tax, previ-
ously estimated to have reaehed
P45 billion in January. The rehd-
bilitation of the bay is estimated
to cost P47 billion.
Last December, the Road Board
abolitionwas also the subiect ofde-
batebetween then House Majority
Leader and now House Appropria-
tions Committee Chairman Ro-
lando Andaya Jr. and then Budget
Secretary and now Bangko Sentral
ngPilipinas Governor Benjamin E.
Diokno. They issued contradicting
statements on the President's posi-
tion on the mattet.