The Department of Transportation (DOTr) must pick up where it left off in 2024 and continue focusing on the task at hand as the agency pushes for a more connected Philippine archipelago, Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said during the simple 126th anniversary celebration of DOTr.
Sec. Bautista urged agency officials and personnel to “buckle down and get to work” to realize President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision of a world-class transportation system.
“The momentum we built in the previous year must not only be maintained but amplified,” Sec. Bautista told officials and employees.
“The road ahead is filled with promise. Our shared mission to build a more connected Philippines inspires us to push beyond our limits and make every effort count. Every project we complete, every policy we implement, and every problem we solve brings us closer to realizing our vision for a world-class transportation system,” he added.
The transport chief noted that the efforts of the transport agency’s personnel will not go unnoticed, saying “every effort counts, and every improvement matters in the larger scheme of national development.”
“These initiatives require the same level of focus, integrity, and professionalism that we dedicate to our major projects,” he said.
DOTr’s sectoral and attached agencies must also work together as the Filipino people are counting on the agency “to make their daily lives better and their futures brighter, according to Sec. Bautista.
“I call on every sectoral office, attached agency, and partner organization to embrace this challenge with unwavering resolve,” he said. “Let us cascade this commitment to every member of our teams. Let us embody the values of integrity, accountability, and professionalism that define our work.”
Sec. Bautista also said such issues on transport projects such as budgetary constraints, right-of-way, and other operational issues must be viewed as challenges that can be hurdled by working collectively.
“Let us not view constraints as limitations but as catalysts that compel us to think differently, work smarter and achieve better outcomes. It is through these moments of adversity that we demonstrate our strength as an organization. Together, we have proven time and again that we can rise to any challenge with courage and commitment,” he said.