Focusing on flash floods

Most motorists and commuters  who traverse EDSA to get to their intended destinations may be a bit surprised that at certain times of the day, there would now be pleasant stretches of fast moving traffic during the day or heavy, but thankfully flowing, movement of vehicles during peak hours.

This is, of course, a big change from the past months when this same stretch of 24 kilometers whether going north or south would look like one slow-moving giant python on a concrete pavement snaking past six big cities of Metro Manila.

Do we thank the Philippine National Police’s Highway Patrol Group, who was designated last week to rescue the metro’s main “freeway” from becoming one giant parking lot? Apparently, credit is not due them, and one which this currently harassed military unit does not take responsibility for.

The improvement during the recent past days, it seems, comes from a recent resolution of the Metro Manila Development Authority to reimpose a truck ban on all Metro Manila roads from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. every day except on Sundays and holidays.

One reason for the strict enforcement although exempting the northern truck route is the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings being held this week in various venues in the metropolis. New directives from the MMDA will be forthcoming after this week.

It seems this spurt of traffic relief will be enjoyed only this week until the respective APEC activities are over. Thus, next week will be a different story, or more correctly put, we’ll be having about the same we had been experiencing in the past. Sigh.

Storm drains

These days, any sign of rain especially in the late afternoons, sends shivers down any Metro Manila commuter’s spine. Whether you were in a car or the public transport system, the Tuesday traffic horror experienced not only on EDSA but most major Metro Manila roads last Sept. 8 is enough to make you want stay away from the roads – which unfortunately, is not possible.

Strong downpours seem to be more of the norm these days at this time of the year, and most likely in the long-term future. Thus, the issue is not traffic management per se, but more of being able to allow Metro Manila to cope with the sudden deluge of rainwater.

Yes, the government needs to seriously look at constructing those storm drains that many big cities all over the world build in the eventuality of flash floods caused by heavy rains. These are really separate and distinct from the existing drainage tunnels and canals where the everyday sewer discharge of the metropolis passes.

Storm drains are perhaps the worst infrastructure projects in terms of monetary returns, and therefore would be difficult to include in the public-private partnership agenda. But these have to be built if Metro Manila residents want to keep their sanity and properties safe.

Long-term planning

Let’s face it: there are just too many people in Metro Manila, which incidentally is also the cause of the huge car population in the metropolis. There are different statistics available as to how many people live and work in this expanding area, but for sure, the worsening population density poses great risks to the lives of its inhabitants.

More than managing the day-to-day traffic, it should be the mandate of the MMDA to put into place a respectable blueprint that takes into consideration migration patterns, land use, resource inventories, and other key factors that affect the dynamics of its 15 cities and lone municipality.

If this means changing the MMDA charter – or giving the job to some other government agency, what matters most is the need to do this quickly and with the strong backing of the country’s chief executive.

After all, Metro Manila is the heart of the country’s economy – and it would be foolish to just simply wait for the whole metropolis to suffer a cardiac arrest because of some floods or other natural disaster.

Flash point

Metro Manila’s traffic woes continue to be a lively topic and we constantly receive from readers their views on the issue. Let’s hear this one from Constancio de Leon, who sent this email:

“For the last 30 years, I’ve lived in Loyola Heights, an upscale residential community across Katipunan Ave. in front of Ateneo de Manila and Miriam College.

“Recently, the area has attracted the attention of real estate big boys. SM, Villar and the Filinvest groups, among others, have somehow managed to get around city land-use and zoning regulations to put up high-rise buildings in the area.

“Added to this is the rerouting of monstrous trucks through Katipunan. These are contributing heavily to attract vehicular traffic along the avenue. The situation would still be tolerable if these traffic jams have not affected and blocked Xavierville Ave and our backstreets were still accessible from the Chico and Anonas road network.

“Today, I worry whenever I hear the frequent wailing of sirens, which can only announce desperate emergency fire or ambulance conductions or disasters. Village vehicles, including those not covered by MMDA’s coding scheme, are often just parked in the subdivision. To get around the area, the fastest way is to ride a tricycle that counter the flow of stalled traffic or just walk.

“Such is modern life in Metro Manila where congestion is going to be a serious flash point for the next president. It is unfortunate that predecessors have failed to heed calls for a long-range development plan.

“Long-term urban renewal plans are desperately needed in Metro Manila, a metropolitan agglomeration of nearly 13 million, if the Philippine capital is to stave off negative effects placed on the economy caused by congestion, poor health and negative foreign perception.

“One way to achieve this is by diffusing the population away from Manila and thus circumscribing wayward growth. Metro Manila congestion can be reduced and migration to the big city can be scaled back, Felino Palafox, founder and managing partner of Palafox Associates, an architecture firm, said during a speech at the Asia CEO Forum in Makati on May 29.

“Strong urban growth away from Metro Manila can be achieved through the clustering of major cities and by establishing major corridors away from the capital, he said, pointing to urban agglomerations that could take place across central Luzon, such as in Bulacan and Cavite.

“Furthermore, it is obvious there is no effective city planning to speak of in Metro Manila – instead, politicians, contractors and lawyers are tweaking available urban development zoning regulations over the dictates of pertinent city planning and development offices.”

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Should you wish to share any insights, write me at Link Edge, 25^th Floor, 139 Corporate Center, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City. Or e-mail me at [email protected]. For a compilation of previous articles, visit www.BizlinksPhilippines.net.