Completely insane

Did Filipinos really find the “song” cute or were they just so happy that an international singer-songwriter poked fun at the “Completely Insane” traffic in Metro Manila? My guess is both, but probably more so Coldplay’s Chris Martin putting into song a daily reality that millions of Filipinos have to go through with no end in sight.

Ironically, the Coldplay concert also contributed to the completely insane traffic as concert goers piled up on the limited access ways to the venue before and after the concert. The common estimate is that it takes two and a half hours to get to the venue and another two and a half hours back to different parts of Metro Manila. Such is the impact of poor design, development and management of road systems and commercial venues.

While the Coldplay jig was deemed cute by others, officials at the MMDA were probably not pleased because it was like rubbing salt to their wounds, resulting from a “study” that claimed that Metro Manila traffic is the slowest in the region. I assumed that the MMDA would simply ignore or make no comments, but they did not.

Instead, the MMDA wondered out loud about what sort of methodology or approach was used in doing the study. I suppose that’s to be expected of lawyers and bureaucrats when they find themselves in a bind: just cast doubts or challenge the integrity of someone else’s work. The mistake in the MMDA statement was saying that the problem needs a whole of government approach.

After that, the MMDA laid out a litany of traffic-causing issues such as too many ambulant vendors, people blocking pedestrian paths and roads with their pushcarts, illegally parked cars and other type of vehicles, the wave or growing numbers of electric scooters and the like, etc. etc. So, why is the MMDA inconsistent in their road clearing operations, jaywalking campaign or picking up vendors in the middle of EDSA? Why spend so much energy and resources on monitoring the bus lane instead of the other issues?

Unfortunately, one of the reasons is there is profit in arresting private car owners and drivers for the slightest mistakes or unfamiliarity with local traffic rules and systems. When traffic enforcers are visibly more interested in issuing tickets than making traffic flow, then you know they are in it for the money, and the local government prioritizes profit from penalties rather than management of traffic. In fact the more traffic there is, the more mistakes or violations occur and therefore more profit for the LGU or their enforcers.

The fact of the matter is that we will never get control of the completely insane traffic in Metro Manila because the MMDA is controlled by all the mayors of Metro Manila who must make politically correct decisions that will ensure their continued stay in public office. If the MMDA were to go on a consistent all-out war against jaywalkers, vendors and vehicle owners, the latter will seek relief from their mayors. If the mayor does not get the MMDA to ease up or accommodate, then the mayor will be up for a high risk and expensive election within two to three years!

It’s not the traffic that is completely insane, it’s the people who believe or claim that Metro Manila traffic can be managed, controlled and organized.

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While attending the World Game Fowl Expo last weekend, I had a chance to talk with many producers, farm owners and enthusiasts and a common problem that they mentioned involved their difficulties in dealing with the Bureau of Animal Industry as well as the local government units that impose certain documentation before allowing shipment of livestock to their area.

In general, the most common complaint about the BAI is the bureau has so many requirements in relation to permits, certification and registry. Instead of simplifying registry and documentation, the BAI requires multiple documents and registry from other agencies, LGU offices, etc. The complainants call it layering or ladder type bureaucracy, whether it is for registering a farm, getting permits to ship game fowl around the Philippines, etc. As a result, the many requirements can only be met by rich people or by people who have a legal aide, runner or someone inside the Bureau of Animal Industry to do all the paperwork.

The business owners I spoke with were all wondering whatever happened to the Ease of Doing Business Law and the ARTA or Anti-Red Tape Authority? When I checked with former BAI personnel, I was told that the BAI’s obsession with documentation, certificates and registrations is allegedly for disease control and to have an updated record of stakeholders, vendors, brokers and shippers. But in truth, people at the BAI have discovered that there is money in bureaucratic processing.

They now have an excuse and a means to generate income, albeit at the expense and inconvenience of their intended customers. The worst part in all this is that the current system kicks out or prevents small backyard entrepreneurs from selling and shipping their limited number of livestock. Secretary Kiko Laurel should really look into this because the system has become anti-poor, profit oriented but not service oriented.

As for the LGUs, Secretary Benhur Abalos should likewise check on the complaints about LGUs demanding shippers to present an Acceptance for Delivery certificate even for game fowl. If a shipper from Iloilo or Bacolod wants to send chickens to Zamboanga or some other province or town, some LGUs require you to first get an acceptance certificate from them. The problems are that they are often offline, it is time consuming and simply a means to earn a quick buck for the LGU. Again, it’s anti-business and anti poor.

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