Panelo accepts challenge; vows to ride jeep, LRT to Palace

President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman has accepted the challenge made by a militant labor group for him to take public transportation on his way to Malacañang.

Secretary Salvador Panelo apparently changed his mind after declaring in a statement that the dare was "a silly challenge."

"The challenge to commute is accepted. This coming Friday, I’ll take the jeepney and the LRT in going to work," Panelo said.

The Kilusang Mayo Uno earlier challenged Panelo for him to take public transportation a day after Panelo said that there was no public transportation crisis.

Panelo said commuters should only leave their homes early to get to their destinations on time.

The spokesman initially dismissed the challenge adding that he knew about the difficulties of commuters and motorists.

“It's a silly challenge," Panelo said. "As I said, the daily sufferance of commuters and motorists traversing the road in going to work and returning home or going elsewhere in Metro Manila, is a given.” 

“Whether you commute or drive, one is subjected to the same vexing inconvenience and delay, as well as the loss of precious time," he added.

In a statement, KMU secretary general Jerome Adonis said Panelo was unaware of the traffic woes of commuters and the condition of the modes of transportation in Metro Manila, following Panelo's remark that there was no transportation crisis in NCR.

"Tila hindi pa niya nararanasang mag-commute at bumiyahe nang rush hour gamit ang pampublikong transportasyon," Adonis said in a statement.

"Hinahamon namin siyang bumiyahe sa EDSA mula North EDSA o kaya mula Santolan papuntang Maynila, papunta at pauwi mula Malacañang para makita niya ang kalagayan ng ating mga kabababayan," he added.

"Paano’ng walang krisis sa transportasyon kung nagkandasira na ang mga tren, mahahaba ang pila sa mga istasyon, at siksikan at puro sabit sa mga jeep, at kandahirap ang ating mga kababayan papunta at pauwi sa trabaho o eskuwela," Adonis said. —NB, GMA News