The next ‘Traffic Czar’ – can easily win the election
The traffic in Metro Manila is one of the worst in the world. Tourists spend more time on the road, less time seeing the different attractions. The locals who travel everyday to work and back or who have business engagements in different towns give too much leeway for travelling time.
In the past months there have been more cars, buses and trucks on the road. Our highways and small streets are too congested. We are like sardines in a can trying to squeeze our way out of it all the time. And when it rains, everything stops. I hope our government realizes that we will never move forward with this problem in our doorstep. It simply pulls us all down in every aspect of our lives.
Why hasn’t government taken any major measures to resolve the traffic problem? What is worst, LGUs forget to do proper zoning allowing big establishments such as malls, subdivisions, condos etc. to operate in already congested areas. Sanamagan! Making the situation worse is the perennial problem of street vendors that can be found in every street corner. Another common scene you can see are drivers stopping in the middle of the road to buy cigarettes, candies, water or tabloids slowing down the traffic in main thoroughfares. To top it all the bad roads, road obstructions caused by either Maynilad work or DPWH projects and unclear road signs not only cause many accidents but make traffic a living hell to all!
Clearly, the severity of traffic has increased threefold despite the efforts of the MMDA. The traffic that previously took us at least an hour’s drive to work has increased to two hours and during rainy days to three hours.
For all of us, this simply means “wasted time”. And time is money. It also decreases the quality of our lives. After work we still need to cook, to eat, to do laundry/ iron and if we have children we need to help them with their homeworks, get them prepared for the next day of school. For Pinoys who ride public utility vehicles, it means queuing in long lines under the scorching heat of the sun or the rain waiting for your turn to enter the PUV or a taxicab. Then while inside the vehicle you sit or stand for hours breathing in pollution and smelling bad odor either from the filth of the vehicle, the bad odor of the driver or from other passengers. Susmariosep!
The government has a responsibility toward its citizenry. It should prioritize the welfare of the people even inside these PUVs and taxicabs. Aside from the traffic problem, they must make sure that the people are protected in a good environment of the PUVs aside from being safe from reckless drivers.
Last April, CNN’s travel site, CNNGo, posted their “World’s 10 Worst Cities for Driving” list: 1st Beijing, China; 2nd New Delhi, India; 3rd Manila, Philippines; 4th Mexico City, Mexico; 5th Johannesburg, South Africa; 6th Lagos, Nigeria; 7th Sao Paolo, Brazil; 8th Moscow, Russia; 9th Toronto, Canada; 10th Monaco. CNNGo quoted one report, which pointed out, “Residents perceive traffic congestion as their number one problem, followed by air pollution, garbage collection, flood control and the need for security.”
Is there actually a long-term solution to this problem? Has the government exhausted all possible efforts in resolving if not minimizing this problem? Or have officials prioritized their own interest over service? I know the answer is quite obvious but by golly enough is enough!
For so many years, so much money has been spent into easing traffic but still nothing has happened. If reducing the number of vehicles is a possible solution, then, by all means pass a law to regulate the sale of cars. Data from the Land Transportation Office show that the number of registered vehicles increased from 5,891,272 in 2008 to 6,220,433 in 2009 and to 6,634,855 in 2010. That’s an average increase of 6.2 percent per year. With too many vehicles but too few roads, what can you expect but – HEAVY TRAFFIC!
Of course, if we limit the number of private vehicles, we would need an efficient public transportation system. Singapore and Hong Kong have this covered. But we have not. Even our MRT and LRT are not enough to serve the commuters. Check out the SM North station every morning and you will know what I mean. Along EDSA, you are trapped in heavy traffic because buses are dropping and picking up passengers anywhere along the highway. They are not even using the designated bus stops. Talk about discipline.
Why can’t we buy more trains and coaches? Why can’t we build more railways and highways? Why did they stop the Pasig River ferry? We have not maximized the use of our Pasig river that flows through many towns and cities. What is the DOTC thinking about? Or maybe a better question to pose is - how do the DOTC officials think? Well, the truth of the matter is that – nothing has changed!
* * * Koko Pimentel’s decision to leave the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) was born out of conscience and principle. This is a rarity these days in Philippine politics. We have leaders who are blinded by their loyalty to the party they belong, to personalities who are sure to bring them to the brink of success in the political arena, totally unmindful of what the true state of the nation really is. “Delicadeza” is a thing of the past. I am sure it was not easy for Koko to make the decision. He has more to lose than gain. Yet, he took the risk. He was honest and sincere in his reason for leaving and this showed his true character. After all, Manuel L. Quezon’s popular quote, “My loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to my country begins” is still relevant now even if they were uttered decades ago.
Our leaders should strive to work for the common good. They should empower the people and not enslave them to perpetual dependency. We need leaders who will show us how great it is to be a Filipino and not be ashamed of our own identity.
Pimentel’s decision actually poses a challenge to all come midterm elections next year. Will we have a thinking electorate or one who believes that politics is just political gain? Abangan!