Metro Manila's traffic woes need concrete gov't planning—senators

Senators on Monday, March 25 said Metro Manila's worsening traffic conditions would require concrete plans from the government to be addressed.

This was after the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), through its Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, called on the national government to declare a “state of calamity” in the National Capital Region (NCR).

However, Sen. Grace Poe said there was no need for the government to declare a state of traffic calamity since "we feel it every single day."

"Government should listen and employ the help of experts from all sectors," Poe stressed.

Poe, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Services, acknowledged that the crisis needed to be addressed as economic losses due to traffic congestion amount to ₱3.5 billion a day in Metro Manila, and that adding more roads was not the only solution.

"Mass transit should be improved and expanded," she said.

She floated the idea of using public electric vehicles which are already being utilized in many countries, and can also improve the air quality by converting public buses to e-vehicles.

"But any initiative towards conversion should include a plan on how government can help subsidize the program. Otherwise it will not progress," she said.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said that they already filed Proposed Senate Resolution No. 859 last year, calling on concerned agencies such as the Department of Transportation (DOTR), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to review and revisit their plans on ameliorating heavy traffic in the country.

"It is important that the government should have a concrete plan on how to solve our worsening traffic situation in the country, as evidenced by the results of the Tomtom Traffic Index that listed Metro Manila as the world’s worst metro area traffic in 2023," he said.

He cited the study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which that the Philippines’ economic losses are predicted to increase to P6 billion per day in 2030 due to heavy traffic. He added that traffic congestion also has personal, social and environmental impacts.

He explained that this the reason why they pushed for the passage of Republic Act No. 11165 or the Telecommuting or “Work-from-home Law” during the 17th Congress due to the country’s traffic situation.

"Companies and employees should be allowed to arrange for flexible work arrangements instead of having employees report physically in the office every day and losing working hours due to traffic," he said.

"It is also important for the government to study the proposal on the gradual conversion of public buses into electric vehicles and how this will help make the lives of Filipino commuters more convenient and lessen the environmental impact of traffic congestion in the country," he added.