Time for signature campaigns and lobbying

Last weekend, my “Kuya” and fellow columnist Boo Chanco reached out to me in desperation. He had been “lured” by his apos to join them in a seaside outing on the beaches of Laiya, Batangas but discovered that in order to get to a place in the sun, he had to endure a full one-hour slow crawl through the City of Lipa and the solitary two-lane road leading to Laiya. “Two-lane” because most of the time there are all sorts of cars and tricycles parked on each side of the road.

The experience must have been such a torment that he asked for directions to avoid going back through the same route. He pleaded for a short cut that would connect to the Star Toll directly and save them a full one hour of traffic for just a few kilometers. All I could say was “Good luck, you’re going back on Saturday? Leave early and pray for traveling mercies.” There was no point in giving him hope because it has been a hopeless situation for many years!

By the time Boo got back to Metro Manila, he sent me a message that says it all: “Finally got to BGC. Traffic was bad only in Lipa. Lipa is a classic case of uncontrolled or unplanned growth and urban decay. The LGU over the last 20 years really failed big time.”

Boo Chanco’s ordeal is only one of hundreds of thousands if not a million people that must have passed through the agonizing traffic that unavoidably forces drivers and travelers to pass through Lipa City going to Quezon province, San Pablo City, San Juan town and the beaches of Laiya. This problem has existed for many years. The affected LGU tries to “manage” the traffic with whistles and body language but has no hope of using engineering solutions because that road is all they have.

For many years it has been suggested that the LGU introduce one-way grids, build a by-pass road, etc. But so far all we’ve heard is there are “plans.” If plans take one to two administrations to be made, I dread to learn how many administrations it will take to execute the plan for a by-pass road.

Having traffic is one thing, but when government officials fail to address the fact that the traffic is costing towns, cities and businesses hundreds of millions of pesos, if not billions, over several years, then it is about time for “us” citizens to put on the pressure by way of lobbying and pressuring the DPWH, LGU and the national government. In fact, it can even be made into an election issue. Those who promised and failed to fix the problems should no longer be elected or re-elected.

I remember a time when people complained about the traffic at the Star Toll Malvar exit as well as the main Lipa exit. What we did was individually and collectively lobbied for a new exit to be opened at the Sto. Toribio bridge which is now the Balete/Lipa exit. Residents, barangay officials, golfing communities came out with signature campaigns and petitions. Several media people from Lipa or living in Lipa all came together to call attention to the need for the exit along a barely used and dormant barangay road.

Word eventually reached SMC/Star Toll, particularly Mr. Ramon Ang, who gave the green light to build the ramp and exit. That accommodation for an exit/access to Star Toll caused an economic boom and the overnight development of businesses and establishment of a university as well as employment opportunities. S&R has established its outlet while Ayala and Lipa City Hall are reportedly hammering out zoning and proper use of the area.

If the province of Batangas partnered with the City of Lipa in lobbying the DPWH and Malacañang for engineering solutions to connect the road to Laiya with the Star Tollway, the province and the various towns along this corridor of commerce would collectively prosper and greatly progress in trading, real estate development, new townships and a tourism belt of beaches and resorts at Laiya.

If the Province of Batangas and the City of Lipa seriously invested in a diversion road by-passing the interiors of Lipa City, it would vastly improve travel for commuters as well as the quality of life for Lipa City residents and businesses. I have heard time and again of plans to relocate the city hall, but it will not address the congestion because the city hall is outside the major congestion area. City hall creates traffic and relocating it will simply relocate the traffic it generates but not the bottleneck in the heart of the city.

The fact that I am writing about the situation is my statement of commitment to lobby the national and provincial governments to act on the matter. Last weekend I had a chance to drive by Congressman Ralph Recto and as is our habit, we both got out of our vehicles to say hello. But this time, I informed Congressman Recto about the numerous complaints about the horrendous traffic in and out of Lipa City.

The congressman shared that there is something in the works by way of a diversion road. I still need to meet up with him to get details but anything and everything would make a difference to address a problem that must now be attended to. Let’s all pray for answered prayers – from Lipa City to the shores of Laiya!

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