Mr. President, it’s your chance to create an enduring positive legacy – fix metro traffic once and for all during your administration
British pop-rock band Coldplay’s co-founder and frontman Chris Martin made waves in the Philippines after calling out Manila’s “insane” traffic jams in a concert.
In their concert on Jan 19 at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan, Martin thanked the audience for “coming through the traffic.”
“I think… We’ve seen some traffic, but I think you have the number one [worst traffic] in the world. So, thank you, thank you for making the effort to come through all that bulls**t to be here!” Martin said.
Metro traffic is something we’ve been famous for a long time now. Ten years ago, novelist Dan Brown described Manila in his book ‘Inferno’ as “the gates of hell” for, among other things, its “six-hour traffic jams.”
Martin’s comment was particularly timely after the 2023 TomTom International traffic index that put Manila at the top of the list of metro areas with the slowest travel time, out of 387 cities across 55 countries.
On Dec 15, the slowest day on record, motorists took an average of 31 minutes and 50 seconds to travel 10 kilometers. Rush hour also causes much frustration as the average travel time is 35 minutes and 30 seconds from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
In contrast, driving 10 kilometers in Oklahoma City takes only 8 minutes and 40 seconds on average, and nine minutes in San Diego, California.
A JICA report of 2018 estimated that, sans interventions, the Philippines may lose up to P5.4 billion daily due to the economic cost of transportation (vehicle operating cost and time spent traveling).
What we can consider while waiting for those “interventions” is adopting other solutions in a multi-faceted approach:
1. Work-from-home: After the pandemic restrictions were eased, many offices required their employees to return to onsite work.
For some, this is justified; in other industries, such as BPO and other virtual work, it is stupid and costly to do so.
The pandemic, through sheer necessity, forced remote work practices to gain significant traction. We’ve seen the benefits related to quality of life and employee satisfaction.
But WFH also eases the strain on transportation infrastructure.
2. Hybrid work: This is a balanced compromise that allows employees to split their time between working remotely and commuting to the office.
This approach not only reduces daily traffic volume but also promotes a more flexible and adaptable work environment.
The government (calling the Civil Service Commission, Department of Budget and Management, and other relevant agencies) should also consider making hybrid and fully remote work models a permanent fixture of the civil service.
3. Alternative modes of transportation: These include cycling and walking, which also contribute to health and environmental benefits.
Developing dedicated bike lanes, pedestrian-friendly zones, and bike-sharing programs incentivizes people to choose these eco-friendly options, ultimately reducing the number of cars on the road. There are many organizations promoting these, but government is slow to act on making more roads bike- and walk-friendly.
4. Expansion of public transportation infrastructure: Many commuters are eagerly awaiting the completion of light rail transit extensions, for instance, the LRT 1’s Cavite extension.
News items state the Dr. Santos station will be operational by the end of this year, and the last leg of the extension — Las Piñas, Zapote, and Niog, Bacoor — in 2027 or the year after.
Commuters are hoping this timeline will be expedited or at the very least, adhered to. However, the construction of the last three stations are said to be hampered by right-of-way issues.
Meanwhile, in the news last August, business tycoon Manny Villar has proposed extending the LRT 1 from Niog to Silang at no cost to the government, and he assures there will be no right-of-way issues as with the present initiative because he owns the land through which his suggested extension will go.
Why not let him do it, and thus benefit around a million daily commuters in the surrounding areas? Imagine hopping on the train at Roosevelt station in Quezon City and getting off at Silang, a skip away from Tagaytay, all in about 1.5 hours or so.
Consider the economic benefits as well as the improved quality of life for so many!
Let’s hope that Coldplay’s Chris Martin’s words don’t fall on deaf ears, especially as President Marcos Jr. himself was at that concert.
Mr. President, it’s your chance to create an enduring positive legacy – fix metro traffic once and for all during your administration.
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