“Nearby provinces, cities and towns can accommodate these new hubs in time for the completion of mega infrastructure projects…”
The proposal of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to pursue the development of nearby provinces and cities to decongest Metro Manila is, perhaps, the only pragmatic solution to the traffic gridlock.
The nation’s chief executive is likely referring the migration of future or current economic activities to areas outside of the urban capital as a way to declog Metro Manila. Sure, new and expanded roads and railway networks will ease traffic in the metropolis—but they can only provide quick fix remedies to the urban snarl.
As I’ve written in my previous, a growing population, the lack of mass transportation system and wide roads, and the continuous migration of workers from the provinces have created the perfect storm that is causing mayhem in the whole of the capital region.
The traffic situation in the metropolis may get worse even before it improves. Growing vehicle sales in the Philippines are further constricting the capacities of the roads in Metro Manila.
The capital region is clearly ripe for a sweeping decongestion starting with a moratorium on the creation of new economic centers that attract more foot traffic, including light industries, mega malls, schools and universities.
Nearby provinces, cities and towns can accommodate these new hubs in time for the completion of mega infrastructure projects, such as the 147-kilometer North South Commuter Railways (NSCR) and the 32.15-kilometer Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge (BCIB), or Manila Bay Bridge.
President Marcos is spot on in his Sunday vlog. “Traffic is one of our biggest problems in this country. Sadly, it’s been a part of every Filipino’s life, and the traffic in the Philippines is notorious all over the world,” Mr. Marcos said. “Metro Manila is congested. So part of the plan is to develop the neighboring provinces and cities.”
Overdevelopment
The overdevelopment of Metro Manila has attracted migrant workers from nearby provinces, resulting in increased transport demand and road traffic. A study conducted by by the Japan International Cooperation Agency in 2018 revealed that traffic congestion in Metro Manila was costing the Philippines P3.5 billion a day.
The capital region also emerged as the area with the worst traffic congestion in 2023, per the traffic index of digital navigation site TomTom. The index showed that driving 10 kilometers in Metro Manila took about 25 minutes and 30 seconds last year, 50 seconds slower than in 2022.
Developing and improving mobility in Metro Manila’s nearby provinces such as Bulacan, Pampanga, Laguna and Cavite, according to Mr. Marcos, are among the priorities that will address the traffic problems.
He also ordered concerned agencies to provide a comprehensive and holistic approach to fix the country’s worsening traffic system.
Anticipating more traffic congestions and providing solutions to them should also guide our policymakers. Transforming the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) into a modern hub, for one,, could worsen the traffic congestion in the capital region. The airport’s makeover will enable it to serve up to 70 million passengers a year efficiently, or more than double its current capacity.
Like what I wrote before, a modern NAIA with a much bigger passenger capacity will certainly contribute to the traffic logjam in Metro Manila, unless its proponent offers a solution to address the gridlock it will create.
NAIA and its increased passenger capacity should not contribute to traffic congestion if it takes advantage of available railway links. Modern urban centers in the world build and design their airports with a rail link to improve the accessibility of passengers to downtown areas or, in some cases, suburbs or distant cities.
Game changer
Meanwhile, one game changer, if property implemented and without political interference from national and local officials, is the Manila Bay Bridge, a climate-resilient bridge that will connect Bataan and Cavite provinces across Manila Bay and decongest Metro Manila traffic.
Few will argue about the economic benefits of the mega infrastructure project. The Asian Development Bank says it will enable greater mobility of labor and goods and enhance economic productivity in the country’s largest region of Luzon.
It will complete the transport loop around Manila Bay and better link Metro Manila to central Luzon and nearby Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon provinces. It dovetails with Mr. Marcos’s renewed decongestion policy by boosting economic activity in these areas, which together account for 60 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.
“This project will transform the economic landscape of central Luzon, unlock the full potential of Bataan and Cavite for trade, manufacturing, and industrial output, and boost their tourism,” said ADB vice president for East and Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Scott Morris. “Once completed, BCIB will offer a platform for reimagining a more vibrant, resilient, and dynamic greater Manila Bay area.”
Such infrastructure projects that decongest traffic in the urban capital and create new economic opportunities are always welcome.
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