Department of Transportation (Philippines)

Department of Transportation
Kagawaran ng Transportasyon
Department overview
Formed January 23, 1899
Headquarters The Columbia Tower, Ortigas Avenue, Wack-Wack, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila
Annual budget ₱52.9 billion (2015)[1]
Department executives
Website www.dotc.gov.ph

The Department of Transportation (DOTr; Filipino: Kagawarán ng Transportasyon) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the maintenance and expansion of viable, efficient, and dependable transportation systems as effective instruments for national recovery and economic progress.

The department is responsible for the country's land, air, sea and communications infrastructure.

The headquarters is the Columbia Tower in Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila.[2]

Until May 2016, the department was named Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC; Filipino: Kagawarán ng Transportasyón at Komunikasyón). With Republic Act No. 10844 or "An Act Creating the Department of Information and Communications Technology", signed into law on May 20, 2016 during the administration of Outgoing President Benigno Aquino III, the Information and Communications Technology Office was spun off the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and merged with all operative units of the DOTC dealing with communications, to form the new Department of Information and Communications Technology.[3]

History

From 1899 to 1979 all transportation and communications activities were integrated into the structure and activities of what is now today the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Early history

On July 28, 1979, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), headed by Minister José P. Dans Jr. was formally created pursuant to Executive Order No. 546. Under this Executive Order, the Ministry of Public Works, Transportation and Communications (MPWTC) was divided into two separate ministries: The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) and the Ministry of Public Works and Highways (MPWH).

The MOTC became the primary policy, planning, programming, coordinating, implementing and administrative entity of the executive branch of the government in the promotion, development and regulation of a dependable and coordinated network of transportation and communication systems.

The infrastructure projects undertaken during this period included:

It was also during this period that the motor vehicle registration and control was improved with the introduction of permanent vehicle license plates and the staggered registration system. A bus leasing program provided an additional 1,000 new buses in Metro Manila.

The operations of both the Philippine National Railways and the Metro Manila Transit Corporation were improved and expanded. At the same time, the Manila South Line of the PNR serving the Bicol Region was rehabilitated.

Post-EDSA 1986

On February 26, 1986, just after the 1986 EDSA Revolution, Congressman Hernando B. Pérez was appointed Minister of Transportation and Communication by President Corazon C. Aquino.

In March 1987, technocrat Rainerio O. Reyes, was appointed Minister of MOTC. Immediately after, the MOTC was reorganized pursuant to Executive Order Nos. 125, and 125-A. With these Executive Orders, the MOTC was made into a Department, under the Executive branch of the Government.

Under Secretary Reyes, the quasi-judicial functions of the Department were transferred to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, which was created through Executive Order No. 202.

Under Fidel V. Ramos

Jesus B. Garcia was appointed Secretary of the DOTC by President Fidel V. Ramos. Under Garcia, new entrants were allowed in the landline and cellular phone services, dilapidated taxi cabs were also phased out in favor of brand new and late model units.

Present

At present, the DOT is expected to pursue numerous projects as part of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's thrust of improving and expanding the country's infrastructure to promote tourism and investment, as outlined in her 2006 State of the Nation Address.

By 2016, the foundation of the Department of Information and Communications Technology caused the DOTC to become simply the DOTr as the DICT transferred the DOTC's comminications agencies to it.

Attached agencies

Land (Road)

Rail

Air

Sea

Miscellaneous

Secretaries of Transportation

References

  1. ↑ "GAA 2015" (PDF). DBM. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  2. ↑ "Directory" (Archive). Department of Transportation and Communications. Updated as of 4 March 2015. Retrieved on September 17, 2015. "The Columbia Tower, Brgy. Wack-wack, Ortigas Avenue, 1555 Mandaluyong City, Philippines"
  3. ↑ Sabillo, Kristine Angeli (May 23, 2016). "Dep't of Information and Communications Technology created". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 23, 2016.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/31/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.