Subdivision residents should open roads to traffic — Fernando

MANILA, Philippines – Saying they should participate as members of society, Marikina congressman and former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando said subdivision residents should agree to open subdivision roads to regular traffic to improve mobility in Metro Manila.

In an interview with One News’ “The Chiefs” on Wednesday, Fernando said all roads should be open for public use, and subdivision owners and residents should participate in the government’s efforts to ease traffic in the metropolis.

He cited his proposed “Road Use Act” in Congress seeking to regulate road share by opening private roads to regular traffic as well as prohibiting parking along major roads.

“I have submitted a bill in Congress … on how we can open up roads. We have to change 180 degrees how it goes. Right now, it is government asking permission to open the road, when in fact, it should be the other way around,” Fernando said.

Fernando said he had ordered subdivisions to open up inner roads to regular vehicle traffic in Marikina when he was mayor.

“I was able to do that in Marikina. I declared all roads opened and I removed humps and removed the gates... I told Marikeños, you are king inside your property, but once you set foot on the sidewalk, remember that you are part of society and have to abide by the norms of that society,” Fernando said.

He added it should be the government opening up roads in subdivisions and residents asking for exemption – not the other way around.

“Roads are supposed to be normally open. How come now that it’s government (asking that they be opened)? If a certain place needs to be opened, then the entity in the residence can ask government for exemption,” Fernando said.

“Basically, the Road Use Act will prohibit parking on any road, public or private, all over the country. Roads were built according to a specific volume of traffic it has to handle,” Fernando said, expressing hope that such restriction would serve as a “symbol of discipline.”

Fernando also called on the current MMDA leadership to consider buses as a mass transit system to resolve what he deemed as a “transport crisis” in Manila, and batted for the revival of the organized bus route system implemented when he was chairman.