MANILA, Philippines - Transport groups yesterday slammed the proposal of President Aquino to revive the odd-even scheme as a possible solution to the traffic woes of Metro Manila.
According to George San Mateo, national president of the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON), the revival of the odd-even scheme would greatly affect their livelihood as public utility vehicle drivers and operators because the scheme would keep them off the streets thrice a week.
San Mateo suggested the government should instead focus on maintaining a dependable mass transport system.
“At present we have the Metro Rail Transit (MRT), the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and the trains being run by the Philippine National Railway. But these trains often break down,” he said.
San Mateo also branded the President’s recent proposal to revive the odd-even scheme as a “band-aid” solution to Metro Manila’s traffic problems.
“In the President’s desperation to clear the streets, he has arrived at an artificial solution with the forced banning of vehicles from the streets without the necessary modern mass transport system to accommodate the displaced commuters,” San Mateo said in Filipino.
San Mateo added that even with the odd-even scheme, there would still be congestion, as affluent motorists would simply buy more vehicles to use when their “regular” vehicles are banned from roads.
“The only people who would benefit from P-Noy’s proposal are the rich motorists who could buy more cars,” he said.
For his part, Efren de Luna, president of the Alliance of Concerned Transport Operators (ACTO), also said the proposed revival of the odd-even scheme could inflict a heavy blow on drivers and operators of public utility vehicles.
“It would be better if the present number coding system is just modified,” he said.
Under the present number coding system, vehicles are only kept off the streets for one day depending on the last digit of their license plates.
De Luna also raised the possibility that with more public utility vehicles eased out of the metro’s streets because of a revived odd-even scheme, private motorists might field more vehicles for hire using a rideshare application like Uber.
President Aquino believes the odd-even scheme is the most radical solution to Metro Manila’s traffic problems, but he expects strong opposition from the public if this is implemented.
Aquino blamed the high volume of vehicles and the ongoing infrastructure projects for causing the traffic gridlocks in metro streets.
He cited a report of the Department of Trade and Industry, which said 22,400 new vehicles and 100,000 motorcycles are acquired every month. In 2014, 1.2 million new motorcycles started traversing the roads and worsened traffic congestion.
“The ideal situation is to build additional bridges and widen roads. But even this will take a few years to be implemented along with dreadful discussions, especially on the issue of right of way,” Aquino said.
Aquino said the most radical proposal to solve the traffic woes is to halve the number of vehicles plying metro streets through the odd-even scheme. He called on the citizenry to work with government in implementing practicable solutions, saying everyone’s input and cooperation are important, as solutions could not be enforced right away.
A traffic czar
The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) is offering the government several remedies, among them the appointment of Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras as traffic czar.
“The MAP believes that the severe traffic congestion and commuter transportation problems besetting our metropolis are behavioral and structural in nature, and should be addressed accordingly. These problems evolved over a long period of time, should be addressed through the three most basic elements of effective traffic management – road engineering, education of all stakeholders and enforcement,” the MAP said.
“Deficient road engineering prevents efficient traffic flow, essential to optimize limited road space. The deficiency allows drivers to wantonly switch or block lanes without regard for others on vital road arteries. Regulatory weakness has allowed the proliferation of public utility vehicles. Lack of education contributes to diminished civic consciousness and responsible driving behavior that, coupled with ineffective enforcement, have rendered traffic rules as mere suggestions to be ignored with impunity,” the group added.
One of the immediate actions being proposed by the MAP is the appointment of a traffic czar, which the group believes should be Almendras.
“When gridlock grips the metropolis with no relief in sight, people ask who is in charge?” the MAP said.
Through a presidential executive order, the business group said a traffic czar should be given power to take overall charge of matters related to or affecting traffic and road management, including the implementation of necessary road engineering refinements on all national roads in Metro Manila.
In addition, the MAP is also urging the government to assign and deputize a specially trained highway patrol group within the Philippine National Police, under the direct supervision and control of the traffic czar, to impose order through strict enforcement of traffic rules and regulations.
Among the other MAP proposed immediate measures seen yielding the fastest relief for motorists and commuters are the fast-tracking of the upgrade and capacity expansion of the MRT-3, the upgrading of existing major national roads into expressways, the improvement in the resiliency of all national major and radial roads against floods, the use of fast construction methods such as prefabricated steel or precast concrete bridging systems, and a campaign for private vehicle high occupancy practices.
Meanwhile, the long-term infrastructure measures, some of which are already being rolled out by the current administration, are expected to address the structural deficiency and when completed provide long-term sustainable improvement, the group said.
“The severe traffic and transportation problems are not without solutions but they will require immediate, firm and resolute action from the national leadership. The status quo is not acceptable. Inaction is not an option,” the MAP said.
The MAP said its recommendations are in recognition of the severe traffic and commuter transportation situation in Metro Manila and the great detriment it is causing people, the economy and environment.
The business group also said it is aware that a large segment of the metropolitan population, various sectors of society and the economy are reeling from the adverse effects of these urban problems. – Richmond Mercurio, Aurea Calica, Paolo Romero, Marvin Sy, Mayen Jaymalin