One of President Duterte\u2019s many promises at the start of his\nterm was to resolve Metro Manila\u2019s transport and traffic problems. But three\nyears later, these remain just as bad if not worse than ever. The various\nprograms and schemes that the government has come up with have done little to\nfix the transport and traffic mess and may be making it even messier. This is\nbecause its transport plan is private sector-driven and chaotic as well as lacking\nmoorings in a comprehensive plan for national economic development. It puts the\ninterest of foreign and big business first while defaulting on its\nresponsibility to the riding public and domestic development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Transport solution misses<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The programs and policies being employed by the Duterte\nadministration to address transport and traffic woes, particularly in Metro\nManila, are not making a dent and are actually making it worse. Here are a few\nexamples of these misses: <\/p>\n\n\n\n PUV modernization program<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em> The\ngovernment\u2019s public utility vehicles (PUV) modernization program involves replacing\njeepneys with \u2018compliant units\u2019 such as Euro-4, electric, solar, or hybrid\nvehicles. This supposedly: improves fuel efficiency and lessens emissions;\nincreases jeepney drivers\/operators\u2019 incomes; and provides a safer, affordable,\nand more efficient riding experience which encourages more people to take\npublic transport and eases traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But a closer look shows that the modernization program will\ngive the profit-seeking big corporate sector control over PUVs, displace small\njeepney drivers and operators from their livelihoods, and lead to fare hikes\nthat many commuters can ill-afford. Jeepneys and smaller vehicles will be\nrestricted from major roads and limited to arterial and local roads. But without\nan overall plan to improve mass transport on major routes like the metro rail,\ncommuters that rely on PUVs being banned from major roads could be left\nstranded. The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is rushing implementation\nwithout the prerequisite of a route rationalization study and pilot phase. Route\nplanning has also been devolved to local government units (LGUs). This lack of rationalization and planning is\nlimiting transport options and making these more disorganized. (see <\/em>Corporate capture in jeepney modernization<\/em><\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Yellow-lane policy.<\/em><\/strong> In early August, the Metro\nManila Development Authority (MMDA) strictly enforced its yellow-lane policy\nalong EDSA. This restricts city buses to the first and second lanes of EDSA\nwhile provincial buses and private cars use the remaining three lanes. However,\nthis led to unmoving bumper-to-bumper traffic in the city bus-only lanes while\nmainly private vehicles breezed through in the other lanes. Many bus commuters just\nopted to disembark and walk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The MMDA blamed this on provincial buses using the first and\nsecond lanes restricted to just city buses. Many commuters took to social media\nand pointed out how these policies are \u201canti-poor\u201d and dismiss the importance\nof mass transport and the needs of the riding public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Provincial bus ban. <\/em><\/strong>The enforcement of the\nyellow-lane policy also coincided with the dry-run of the provincial bus ban.\nUnder the ban, provincial buses are not allowed to load and unload passengers\nalong EDSA but at designated terminals. This earned criticism for being\ninconsiderate of hundreds of thousands of provincial commuters who take the\nprovincial bus regularly to Metro Manila for work and have been subjected to a\nmore complicated and more expensive trip. The ban also ignores the fact that\nprivate vehicles make up most of daily EDSA traffic and thus should be prioritized\nfor regulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Comprehensive MRT 3 rehabilitation. <\/em><\/strong>Last\nSeptember the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 operations were suspended, affecting\n7,302 passengers, due to mechanical failure causing the train\u2019s overhead\ncatenary cables to be cut. This is only the tip of the iceberg because overall,\nthe underdevelopment of Metro Manila rails does not make taking the train a\nviable alternative for ordinary passengers. The public Philippine National\nRailways (PNR) has not been restored to its full potential and only runs from\nManila to a point in Southern Tagalog. The other public Light Rail Transit\nsystems operate only within Metro Manila, while the private MRT 3 traverses\nonly a part of EDSA and has a record of multiple breakdowns and mishaps due to\ninefficient management under privatization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Privatization of the mass transport rail system has minimized\ngovernment regulation, and made train riding inefficient and unreliable while\nextracting high user fees from commuters. This has diminished the potential of\nthe MRT 3 as a form of public mass transport, and its role in easing traffic\ncongestion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These reflect the lack of urban planning that should be\naligned with a central plan for national development. It shows how government\npushes short-sighted private sector-biased policies and programs that benefit\nbig business instead of ensuring the mobility and productivity of Filipinos\nthat play an important role in national development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sustainable public mass transport towards national\ndevelopment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mass transportation is not an island. It should support and\nserve a central plan of economic development driven by national\nindustrialization, and vice versa. National industrialization entails\ndeveloping rural areas for both domestic agriculture and industrial purposes,\nwhile developing urban areas for trade and local industrial activities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Such an economic plan needs to facilitate the efficient\nmobility of large numbers of people to and from farms, factories and other workplaces,\nschools, homes, and recreation areas. Sustainable public mass transport should deliver\nthese social and economic benefits for economic development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n