Romantic traffic day

Traffic is going to be even more horrible today with Valentine’s Day being celebrated. EDSA motorists and commuters will most likely feel the brunt because of the 31 malls located along the whole 23-kilometer stretch of this major thoroughfare. An estimated 400,000 vehicles ply EDSA on ordinary days so one can expect the gridlock to stretch along parallel roads and intersections with many romantics going to all kinds of dating places.

Every year, traffic just seems to get worse with the increasing volume of vehicles contributing to the congestion, judging from the 150,000-plus car units sold for the first 10 months of 2012 alone (combined figures from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines or CAMPI and the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors or AVID). Naturally, the numbers don’t include jeepneys, shuttles and the buses that continue to be the biggest problem on EDSA.  None of the solutions seem to be working effectively because the pace continues to be at a crawl, at times gong on a standstill due to accidents and stalled vehicles. Nevertheless, MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino remains undaunted, this time coming up with the Bus Management and Dispatch System (BMDS) that aims to regulate the number of buses in EDSA and monitor the drivers through biometrics or finger scanning technology.

The way it works to bus drivers are required to submit to a “finger scan” at designated dispatch terminals where a databank containing the driver’s name, address and other personal details including the number of violations will be searched, and if there’s a hit – meaning the driver has three pending or unsettled traffic violations – then he will not be allowed to ply his route. So far, 105 bus companies have registered with the MMDA for the driver’s databank which is linked with the LTO, NBI and LTFRB. Pilot testing was done two weeks ago in Quezon City, with the MMDA hoping to establish 12 more satellite stations all over Metro Manila this year.

In any case, the solution to the ever worsening traffic will take a lot of political will because no matter how bright an idea is, affected sectors will resist its implementation like what happened to the proposed fixed salary scheme for bus drivers that was halted by the Supreme Court after a group of bus operators questioned the Labor department’s order.

President Aquino made the right decision in deferring the rehabilitation of EDSA until more alternative routes are opened to avoid the two-hour jams predicted by the MMDA. We also have to look at improving our mass transport systems to decongest the roads, with more people preferring to take the LRT and MRT. Unfortunately, a lot of the MRT trains have bad air conditioning, are dirty and a number of them conk out in between stations so something must definitely be done to improve the situation.

Balladeer from New York

New York-born balladeer David Pomeranz was in town to promote his new album “You’re the Inspiration” on which he worked with several Filipino talents for some of the tracks. US Ambassador Harry Thomas (who is also from New York) hosted a small luncheon at his embassy residence for David who popularized romantic hits such as “King and Queen of Hearts” and “Got to Believe in Magic.” Despite his hectic schedule with all that’s been going on concerning the USS Guardian that’s still marooned at Tubbataha Reef, the Ambassador who is basically a romantic still has time to listen to ‘60s and ‘70s music at the RJ Bistro.

At any rate, David Pomeranz continues to be popular among Filipinos and will be back for a number of post-Valentine concerts in Manila and Cebu. The New Yorker is a multi-awarded singer and composer whose songs have been performed by Barry Manilow, Bette Midler, the Carpenters and many others. Recently, he collaborated with popular talk show host Kathie Lee Gifford for the Broadway musical “Scandalous.” 

Spy tidbit

Several airlines that were supposed to take delivery of new Boeing 787 aircraft will just have to wait some more after the US National Transportation Safety Board decided to ground the Dreamliners last month pending investigation into electrical wiring and battery-related problems that caused a fire on a Japan Airlines jet. According to sources, some airlines are relying on 30-year-old aircraft to fill in the routes that should be covered by the B787s in their fleet. A number are eyeing either B767s or A300s, while some are also considering wet lease options from other carriers. 

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