Island minds and cinematic obstruction

One big disadvantage of being an “Island” nation and separated from our ASEAN neighbors comes from the fact that our people have very little to compare things with.

In general our only points of reference come from television, which is based on a “western” perspective. Most of what we see on western influenced television are the good things about their society, and the bad things about ours. Unfortunately it is a very unfair comparison since it is between first world settings versus a third world nation.

This is one reason why I would encourage our readers and anyone else who can, to travel. Not just for the sake of tourism but in order to get a new perspective or witness how other countries and societies solve problems or operate facilities very differently.

I recently returned from Malaysia as one of several journalists invited by REPSOL and its Philippine distributor Gold Rush to watch the MOTO-GP, which is the equivalent of the F1 for motorcycles.

During the two days of travelling to and from the Sepang F1 circuit, we had an opportunity to see many places and observe how Malaysians conduct themselves and how they do certain things.

One of the things that caught my eye was the fact that “scooters” and regular motorcycles were actually allowed to pass or use “Toll roads” similar to our NLEX, SCTEX and SLEX. There was no minimum displacements required, they were not charged any toll fee and they were confined to the “service lane” or what we refer to in the Philippines as the emergency lane.

According to our veteran tour guide Falina, there are fewer accidents in Malaysia compared to China because of the designated motorcycle lane. As a result, many of the cities or districts were decongested or free of scooters and motorcycles unlike Thailand, Vietnam and now Metro Manila.

Upon arriving in Manila, I learned that a motorcycle association had filed for a temporary injunction against the recently implemented program of the MMDA establishing a motorcycle lane. While I understand the groups’ wish to protect their freedom to drive on any lane they wish, I wonder if they realized what a golden opportunity the MMDA policy really is.

To begin with, the motorcycle lane officially recognizes “scooters” and motorcycles as a sector of society who must be protected and considered when the MMDA, DPWH and local governments design and implement plans and projects.

The motorcycle lane is a major step towards creating or providing more access to public roads and highways where cars, buses and two wheeled vehicles can have respective lanes. Rather than pick a fight or stonewall the MMDA project, the bikers should sit down with Tolentino and use the project as a springboard to gain safe and free access to highways and tollways.

If we could adopt the Malaysian concept, employees, workers and enthusiasts would save so much money and time that is wasted commuting and being stuck in traffic particularly those living just outside Metro Manila.

Some car owners are probably calling me nuts and cursing me, but if they simply studied what other countries do, they’ll discover that by creating the designated lane and providing faster alternative routes and alternative transportation, we all benefit. It would even put a stop to people overtaking on the emergency lane.

I am personally dreading the annual pre-Christmas traffic and have considered buying a scooter or my dream bike, a Honda CB-750 “police bike” in order to avoid being stuck in a car, in traffic. When the MMDA implements the motorcycle lane all over Metro Manila, the only other hurdle I have to overcome would be the stone cold glare of my disapproving wife!

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Another thing we observed in Malaysia as well as in Japan during an earlier trip was that billboards had uniform sizes, on the average, half the size of billboards in Metro Manila. They were generally of the same height, they were all placed on one or two large pillars with a diameter as big as Napocor electric posts.

The only area that had angle bars and framing were directly behind the billboard while the whole frame was supported by a huge steel post. Billboards were usually stand alone, no other billboards beside them, no sexually suggestive visuals and they were kept apart at an approximate distance of about 200 meters.

Come to think of it, there were very few Billboards in the urban centers and certainly no “bills”, no banners on lamp posts, and definitely no home made or privately manufactured signs that distract people looking for directions.

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While the MMDA has won support for their “motorcycle lane” project, Chairman Francis Tolentino should look into the embarrassing incident last Sunday on EDSA approaching the Magallanes interchange.

Traffic had backed up all the way to Pasay Road and almost to Ayala and motorists “crawled” south wondering what was causing the delay. The problem was not vehicular in nature but “Cinematic”. Some outfit was filming a “Bus stop scene” and the production crew had occupied two lanes of EDSA while MMDA enforcers were waving the suffering motorists through.

Filmmakers should make their own “back lots” or create their props at their expense and not use our limited highways. The MMDA should never allow such disruptive activities, especially on EDSA.

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