Officials urge Chavez to reconsider resignation

Top officials at the Department of Transportation are hoping that Cesar B. Chavez, the undersecretary of railways who tendered a surprise irrevocable resignation on Thursday, would reconsider his decision.

Leah Quiambao, assistant transportation secretary for legal affairs, said in an interview Friday they were reaching out to Chavez to convince him to stay on the job. She cited his expertise in the railways sector and the inopportune time to exit given the magnitude of the projects being implemented.

“We hope that we will be able to change his mind,” she said. Chavez, in a text message, declined to comment on Friday.

Quiambao noted that should this effort fail, the DOTr was prepared to recommend a suitable replacement either within or outside the DOTr’s ranks.

The DOTr is currently implementing big-ticket projects such as the P360-billion Metro Manila subway project, which will initially link Quezon City and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and a P316-billion Manila train line to the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga province. It is also pursuing a south railway line that will connect Manila to Matnog, Sorsogon, in the Bicol region of southern Luzon.

“Usec Cesar is deep in the preparations of the projects that we have right now,” Quiambao said.

Chavez was appointed undersecretary of railways last Feb. 28, meaning he held the post for about nine months. He replaced Noel Kintanar, who resigned after four months in the job in November 2016.

Quiambao, adding color to the flurry of events as Chavez announced his departure, said they learned of the news along with the rest of the public through Chavez’s press conference called on Thursday morning.

She also denied that Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade had pressured Chavez to leave, adding that Chavez continued to enjoy the trust of the transport chief.

Chavez left just 10 days after the DOTr took over the maintenance of the glitch-prone Metro Rail Transit Line 3 from Busan Universal Rail Inc., which started its three-year deal under the Aquino administration. This was later terminated as the DOTr alleged that Busan failed to perform certain contractual obligations.

Quiambao said they hoped to find a new maintenance provider in the next three to six months through a similar two- to three-year contract period.

Quiambao also downplayed the string of key resignations at the DOTr over the past 12 months, saying each official left for various personal reasons. As noted, these included Kintanar and former undersecretary for aviation, Roberto Lim. Both left due to perceived conflict of interest.

Other officials who resigned were Raoul Creencia, undersecretary for legal and procurement, and Rommel Gavieta, undersecretary for planning.