Party-list Rep. Claudine Bautista of Drivers United for Mass Progress and Equal Rights (DUMPER) continues to receive backlash for holding a "lavish" wedding amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic—this time by her constituents in the public transport sector.
Mar Valbuena, president of the Samahang Manibela Mananakay at Nagkaisang Terminal ng Transportasyon, slammed Bautista for "indulging" in a luxurious wedding instead of addressing the plight of the PUV drivers--the vulnerable sector that she was supposed to represent in Congress.
"Kung kaya lang naming pumasyal sa Balesin, kung may pambili lang kami ng damit kay Michael Cinco, hindi po kami mananawagan (If we only had the money to go to Balesin or buy clothes from Michael Cinco, we would not beg for help)," Valbuena said in an interview over Radyo Singko on Tuesday, Aug. 17.
He was referring to the congresswoman's wedding that was recently held at Quezon's Balesin Island Resort--a known luxury destination. Photos of the swanky shindig was shared on social media by renowned fashion designer Michael Cinco, who designed Bautista's gown.
Valbuena claimed that Bautista never reached out to offer any assistance to the transport workers, who have been among those severely affected by the ongoing health crisis.
"Nakakagalit. Ikaw ang nakaupo diyan dapat ikaw ang pangunahin na nagfa-follow up para matulungan ang sector na nirerepresent mo. Nasaan ka? (It's infuriating. You are the one supposed to follow up the aid needed by the sector you are representing. What are you doing?)" he said.
The transport leader said that Bautista should have been at the forefront in ensuring the welfare of public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers who practically lost their livelihood during the lockdown last year.
When all modes of public transport were suspended last year at the onset of the pandemic, thousands of PUV drivers and operators were literally reduced to beggars on the road.
"Kung hindi mo magampanan ang papel mo, mahiya ka naman. Maraming nagugutom, maraming namamalimos, maraming pamilya ang nagdudusa. May pera tayo, nariyan ang pondo. Nasaan iyan? Bakit hindi mo kwestyunin o tanungin man lang ang LTFRB? (If you can't fulfill your role, shame on you. Many in the sector are hungry and begging, many families are suffering. We have the money, the funds are there. Why don’t you question or even ask the LTFRB where is the budget?)" Valbuena said.
The Commission on Audit (COA) recently called out the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for using only 1 percent of the P5.58 billion funds allocated for transport workers amid the pandemic. In COA's 2020 report, state auditors said LTFRB only used around P59 million or 1.07 percent of the agency’s budget for its Service Contracting Program.
"Nakikita mo naman kung ano ang kalagayan ng sector na nirerepresent mo—namamalimos, nakatira sa kanilang mga jeep na hindi pa pinapabiyahe. Hindi ka naman isguro bulag at hindi ka rin bingi. May pakiramdam ka rin naman siguro (You must know what is the state of the sector you are representing—many have been begging and living in their jeeps that are not yet allowed to operate. I know you are not blind and you are not deaf. Maybe you have feelings, too)," Valbuena added.
Meanwhile, Jun de Leon, president of LABAN TNVS, a group of transport network vehicle service drivers, also criticized Bautista, saying that the sector "heard and felt nothing" from DUMPER Party-List during the pandemic.
De Leon added that Bautista could have just "donated" the millions of pesos that she spent on her wedding to transport workers who have not yet received any aid from the government.