Proposed metro traffic body remains pending

CEBU, Philippines – The closing of the 16th Congress looms yet some bills are still pending, including the proposal to create the Metro Cebu Traffic Management Authority (MCTMA), which is seen to resolve the traffic woes in the whole of Metro Cebu.

House Bill 5556, which was filed by Cebu Sixth District Representative Luigi Quisumbing on March 10 this year, was referred to the Committee on Government Enterprises and Privatization on March 16, and since then no movement was noted on this proposal.

In his explanatory note, Quisumbing noted that the traffic problems in Cebu are growing along with its population.

According to studies, from 2000 to 2010, Cebu's population increased by 2.19 percent every year. As of 2010 census, it had a population of 4.167 million or a 61.28 percent share in the entire Region 7 population.

"At this rate, it is expected that the population of Cebu will reach 4.64 million in 2015 and 5.18 million by 2020," he said.

And recently, the traffic situation in Metro Cebu has "worsened" considering the increase on business activities, he said.

"Considering the increase in population and businesses in Metro Cebu, there is an urgent need to address the traffic problems. It is apparent that the solution cannot be piece-meal, otherwise, other areas will bear the brunt of the traffic problem," he said.

The MCTMA, he explained, will focus on planning and identification of traffic problems, coordinating with local government units in the metro and formulating of programs to be incorporated in a traffic management plan. (FREEMAN)