ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Various stakeholders and industry players in the field of transportation lauded the decision of President Aquino to accept the resignation of Transportation and Communications Secretary Jose “Ping” de Jesus.

In a recent consultation conducted here by several stakeholders, among which include the Clean Air Advocates, an influential environmentalist group, and the Private Emission Testing Centers Operators Association (PETCOA), they stressed that De Jesus’ resignation could pave the way for the genuine changes that they all aspire for in the agency.

“We certainly appreciate the wisdom behind the decision of President Noynoy to accept the resignation of Secretary Ping,” Tony Halili, president of PETCOA, said.

Halili pointed out that it is wrong to impute ill will on the part of President Aquino in making it appear that he forced De Jesus to resign after they failed to meet on certain issues such as the case of Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Assistant Secretary Virginia Torres, who is currently on leave.

“Instead of blaming other people like Assistant Secretary Torres for the decision of Secretary Ping to leave government service, we should instead look at the positive side of this development” he pointed out.

“I am more inclined to believe that President Aquino knows everyone in his official family and he has the right to make big decisions if he thinks that there are changes to be made,” he added.

“Therefore, those who are engaged in the game of speculations should stop and instead accept the fact that it is the President’s decision to accept his resignation” he said.