We need efficiency, competence, and simple common sense

THE woes of MRT-3 keep piling up, with no clear end in sight. It plays like a bad telenovela on the nightly news, with the commuter as the hero/victim and, depending which side you sit, government and/or the maintenance provider as the villain. Events took several dramatic twists lately with the firing of the maintenance provider, the filing of plunder cases against former transport and Cabinet officials, and the resignation of the Undesecretary for Rails Cesar Chavez. Former Usec Chavez had the unenviable task of placating an angry public fed up with years of inefficiency but left with no choice but to ride the MRT. The long lines, the breakdowns, and the overcrowded, creaky, and leaking trains are seen as “better” options to riding buses on EDSA which turns into one big parking lot during rush hours.

EDSA’s train system has been described as a tragedy waiting to happen. We pray that the concerned authorities come up with decisive actions for the safety of the thousands of commuters who ride the MRT daily. Yet the problems plaguing MRT 3 are just part of a bigger headache for Metro Manila’s urban commuters, which is traffic congestion.

There is no magic bullet for Metro Manila’s traffic woes. That is something we must accept. Yet it does not mean the commuting public must simply bear with the daily realities of traffic. Neither does it excuse the authorities from sitting on their hands as the metropolis grinds to a standstill.

Local executives and public managers are familiar with the three Es of traffic management -- Enforcement, Education, and Engineering. Enforcement and Education are considered immediate solutions to the traffic problem, and Engineering a mid-to-long-term solution.

It’s about time we admit that the lack of discipline on the road is a cause of traffic. Road discipline flies out the window during rush hours especially, aggravating the problem. Even when it’s not rush hour, ill-disciplined public utility drivers pick up passengers in the middle of the road, or bunch up at bus or jeepney stops, causing traffic. The lack of road discipline also goes for private car drivers and pedestrians as well. What is needed is consistent law enforcement. Authorities must strictly enforce traffic laws without fear or favor, and not only for photo opportunities whenever media is around. As in all aspects of life, especially governance, the ningas cogon mentality must stop.

We must consistently educate drivers on traffic rules. But we must also educate traffic enforcers. Too often, traffic enforcers add to the road confusion with their unfamiliarity, bordering on ignorance, of the laws they are enforcing. Add to this the fact that a few enforcers are out on the streets not to enforce the laws but to look for opportunities to extort money from drivers. Discipline goes both ways. If we discipline erring motorists, we must also discipline erring enforcers.

Then there is the enduring problem of colorum public utility vehicles. I say enduring because every administration starts with the usual pledge to stop colorum vehicles. But how effective is the drive against colorums? How many colorum vehicles have they taken off the road? No one seems to have given a definite answer. The boundary system also contributes to the traffic problem as drivers ignore rules and disrupt traffic flow to maximize earnings. We need to replace the boundary system with one that provides drivers decent pay and improved working conditions while ensuring the operators a return on their investments.

There are technology-based traffic control devices that can facilitate the fast traffic flow and optimize road use with minimal human intervention. For instance, Makati’s traffic management center uses “timing plans” which programs stoplights based on current traffic conditions. Vehicle sensors can be embedded on the streets to signal the system to adjust to the volume of traffic. More CCTVs should be installed to catch traffic violators and corrupt traffic enforcers.

When we talk of medium to longterm solutions, number one on the list should be investing in a mass transport system that’s convenient, efficient, and affordable. It should be so convenient, efficient, and affordable that even car owners would ride the trains rather than take their cars. Our train systems - the MRT, Light Rail Transit and especially the Philippine National Railways - have seen better days and they have been long overdue for upgrading and capacity expansion.

We must also take the plunge and control the number of new cars on the streets. Metro Manila’s roads are choking with new cars and simply cannot handle the volume. Building new roads is not the solution. Transport experts have been proposing increasing taxes for every additional vehicle owned by a household and imposing taxes on corporate car loans and car benefit programs. These steps, however, are contingent on an improved mass transport system already in place.

Then there is the major long-term solution: urban dispersal. Development needs to be spread to other emerging urban areas around the country. We need to make the cities in other regions more competitive as business locations to give investors more alternatives to Metro Manila. People flock to Metro Manila because of employment and livelihood opportunities. We must bring these opportunities elsewhere.

Metro Manila is congested. We are imploding from the strains of traffic, floods, pollution, urban blight, poverty, and crime. We need to decongest. I have always advocated moving the seat of government outside Metro Manila, and I agree that Clark should be the new government center.

Metro Manila’s traffic woes cannot be solved overnight but it does not mean government is totally helpless. Sadly, we have seen that political will is not enough. We need efficiency, competence, and in many cases, simple common sense.