Addressing transport issues: Where to focus?

We are decades delayed in infrastructure, and the Duterte administration has been given six years to catch up. Let us support this government that remains hopeful, instead of hindering their initiatives for the Filipino people

This past week, we heard Filipinos share their thoughts on the current transport and traffic situation. What constitutes a crisis? Will a commute challenge veritably confirm so?

However, are labels and definitions the ones that truly matter? As we get caught up in the debate of putting a name on what our long-suffering commuters endure on a daily basis, we depart from the most important concern: creating and implementing solutions. Instead of getting lost in the turmoil, now is the time to think of ways on how we can get out of this situation as quickly as possible.

Truth be told, the Duterte administration has acknowledged the severe gravity of our infrastructure deficit since it came in.

The Department of Transportation (DoTr) headed by Secretary Arthur Tugade has been acknowledging the undeniable truth — the Philippines is 20 years behind in mass transport infrastructure.

That is why since 2016, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has constantly pushed his Cabinet to pursue the biggest and boldest infrastructure program the country has ever seen — the “Build, Build, Build” program. The infrastructure backlog is also the reason why the DoTr supported calls to grant President Duterte emergency powers in the beginning of his term. We wanted to act fast. We wanted to deliver what the public has long been deprived of — an efficient mass transportation system.

When we came in, the Metro Rail Transit (MRT)-3 averaged two unloading incidents every day. It even got itself into an accident in 2014, injuring a number of commuters.

Various attempts to modernize public utility vehicles did not prosper. Old and dilapidated jeepneys remained to be kings of the road, while emitting gases that are hazardous to the environment and public health.

Additionally, we had a moratorium on the issuance of franchises, a massive backlog in motor vehicle plates and paper receipts for driver’s licenses.

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) was then tagged as one of the worst airports in the world, with “tanim-bala” and “bukas bagahe” schemes rampant in major airports.

With three years in, where is the DoTr now?

For our railways, we have the LRT-1 Cavite Extension, a project that has been delayed for 19 years, with its actual construction ongoing. This rail extension project from Baclaran to Bacoor, Cavite is now at 21.1 percent progress rate, and will be ready for partial operations in the fourth quarter of 2021 and full operation by 2022.

Another project that has been delayed for eight years is the Common Station, which is now under 24/7 construction work and is 50 percent complete. The Common Station will interconnect the Light Rail Transit (LRT)-1, MRT-3, MRT-7, and the Metro Manila Subway into one concourse area.

The Metro Manila Subway project, the country’s first underground railway system connecting Quezon City to NAIA Terminal 3, is now on pre-construction phase. This subway will cross seven cities and three of Metro Manila’s business districts. Expect partial operation for its first three stations by 2021. Once completed, this project will reduce travel time between Quezon City and NAIA Terminal 3 from one hour and 10 minutes to just 36 minutes.

MRT-7, a railway line that will connect San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan to Quezon City, is now 50 percent complete and also under 24/7 construction.

The LRT-2 Masinag Extension leading up to Marikina and Antipolo, is now 67.81 percent complete, and shall be operational in the fourth quarter of 2020. Once completed, it will reduce travel time between Manila and Antipolo to just 40 minutes.

After years of neglect, the MRT-3 is now undergoing massive rehabilitation by its original maintenance provider, Sumitomo-Mitsubishi Heavy from Japan. The 26-month rehabilitation started in May 2019, and will be completed in July 2021. Replacement rails have arrived for installation next month, air-conditioning units have been installed, and all elevators for all MRT-3 stations are now operational. Once rehabilitation work is completed, the MRT-3 will increase the number of operating trains at peak hours from 15 to 20, double its speed from 30 to 60 kilometers per hour, and reduce waiting time between trains by half from seven to 10 minutes to just 3.5 minutes. The end result? A total capacity of 650,000 passengers daily, a major solution to ease road traffic in Metro Manila.

PNR Clark, a railway system that will connect Tutuban in Manila to Clark, Pampanga, is now ongoing construction. Its first phase, running from Manila to Malolos, Bulacan, is under 24/7 construction works.

For years, people from Metro Manila and nearby provinces have been held hostage by not having options where to fly. As a result, people who want to travel by plane flock to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, which somehow add to traffic congestion on certain roads.

What have we done so far to address this?

We have given the green light for the construction of the game-changing Bulacan International Airport, which will begin before the end of the year. In four to six years, travelers will enjoy a worldclass gateway that can accommodate 100 million to 200 million passengers per year.

The Sangley Airport in Cavite, seen to also help decongest NAIA, is now 90 percent complete and under 24/7 construction.

Construction of the new Passenger Terminal Building of the Clark International Airport is now 83.26 percent complete, and shall be operational by June 2020.

For our roads, the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange opened, with two more land terminals to follow in the upcoming years. These terminals are seen to help decongest our major roads, providing seamless connection between Metro Manila and neighboring provinces.

In maritime matters, the country’s first barge terminal, the Cavite Gateway Terminal, had been constructed. This project aims to reduce truck traffic on major roads going to and from the Port Area by almost two kilometers of trucks and 140,000 fewer truck trips annually.

The Duterte administration’s flagship program, the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), continues to roll. Under the PUVMP, routes will be rationalized with brand-new modern PUV plying our roads, giving the riding public a safe, secure, and convenient mode of transport that has been ignored for decades.

Going back to longstanding issues, we continue to solve the backlog of motor vehicle plates through the plate-making facility of the Land Transportation Office, resulting to two million pairs of plates distributed as of September 2019. Paper receipts have now been converted to actual driver’s license cards, with a total of 12 million license cards printed as of last month, with additional security features against counterfeiting.

There is now hope for our country, and yet, we choose to play the blame game. Is this the right time to point fingers and diminish the riding public’s hopes for change? Is this the right time to dispute the definition of a crisis? I believe it is time to stop arguing and focus on making solutions.

We are decades delayed in infrastructure, and the Duterte administration has been given six years to catch up. Let us support this government that remains hopeful, instead of hindering their initiatives for the Filipino people.

Let us not aggravate the situation by telling everyone that we are in a hopeless state. A better form of communication is to spread positivity and tell everyone that in two to three years, change will definitely be felt. Let us give everyone hope, instead of giving them reasons to feel sorry for themselves and this country, because it doesn’t help manage the daily struggle.

We are facing a huge problem, yes. But look around you, we are building the solutions for a better future for the Filipino people. Change may not be as swift as we want it to be, but even great Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Once rehabilitation work is completed, the MRT-3 will increase the number of operating trains at peak hours from 15 to 20, double its speed from 30 to 60 kilometers per hour, and reduce waiting time between trains by half from seven to 10 minutes to just 3.5 minutes.