The traffic problem: still no solution in sight
The solution is devilishly obvious: reduce the number of vehicles on the road. This can be accomplished by a twofold program: tighten the requirements for new and used ( imported) vehicle purchases and cull or retire old and dilapidated vehicles from the streets. Everything that moves on wheels and motor power (such as tricycles and kuligligs) should be registered and laced with restrictions. For example, tricycles and kuligligs should be banned from using major thoroughfares. Secondly, new purchases should be tightly controlled perhaps through the taxation mechanism and added requirements that purchased cars should come with a garage or similar arrangement.
As it is now, adjusting for inflation, cars are cheaper than they were 15 years ago. Not only that, bank and other financing is readily available at affordable interest rates to acquire cars. Add to that the influx of Chinese-made vehicles that are virtually of limited use and throwaway types as they do not possess extensive parts and service networks. These are available at ridiculously low prices that feed on the hunger of Filipinos for cars, no matter the durability of maintenance consequences.
The retiring of old vehicles should also follow a strict regimen. It is extremely ridiculous to see school bus and taxi and jeepney units that are 10 years old and over ( some school buses used to ferry children were actually 15 years old) with the owners protesting their retirement not minding the safety and utility of the vehicles which presumably are gas- guzzlers. While mandatory retirement may not be observed, the DoTC/ LTO should conduct stringent safety and maintenance checks for these old vehicles if the owner wishes to retain them. Among those affected will be vintage car collectors.
The traffic problem wastes hundreds of millions of pesos a day nationwide in terms of wasted fuel, lost manhours and health problems associated with pollution. These billions of pesos could be translated into new hospitals, classrooms and better roads and transportation related facilities.
The Filipino is by nature a griper. Complaints and nasty comments arose when the EDSA LRT line was first started. Today, it moves people packed like sardines to their destinations, with passengers sometimes waiting for closer to hours to get a ride in the morning and during the afternoon rush hour.
What is required to resolve the problem is intelligence and the political will to act on the solutions which are staring at the authorities in the face. The vehicle purchase restriction program will raise a howl among the various car manufacturers and dealers. But the answer to these industry complaints is simple: the combined sales and employment of the car industry will NEVER make up for the massive losses incurred nationally by the traffic problem.
In the meantime that a solution is nowhere in sight, we must plod through the 11:30 p.m. traffic along EDSA coming home from a movie, arriving home more tired than relaxed.