Senator Sonny Angara has joined the call of the Senate leadership to suspend the implementation of the driver-only vehicle ban in EDSA, and to provide for real solutions to Metro Manila’s congested traffic situation.
“Effective solutions should be long-term. The only way we can give Filipinos freedom from traffic is by improving our public transportation. Hanggat walang magandang sistema ng mass transit, dadami at dadami ang sasakyan,” Angara said.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Senate Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Majority Floor Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Minority Floor Leader Franklin Drilon have co-authored Senate Resolution 845, which urges the Metro Manila Council to recall MMDA Regulation No. 18-005 or “Establishing the Expanded High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes in EDSA.”
A study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) earlier revealed that the worsening traffic situation in Metro Manila translates to P3.5 billion in lost opportunities each day.
“Bukod sa negatibong epekto nito sa ekonomiya, inaagaw din ng matinding traffic ang oras na para sana sa ating mga anak at pamilya,” the seasoned legislator said.
The veteran lawmaker further stressed that if public transport is not drastically improved, such missed economic opportunities will be replicated in other big cities in the Visayas and Mindanao like Metro Cebu and Cagayan de Oro.
“To address the transportation crisis, the government is now taking steps such as the planned subway for Metro Manila. However, traffic is not just a Metro Manila disease but one which has spread all over the country. The government should look beyond NCR in applying cures to this crisis,” the senator added.
“Traffic is not just a Metro Manila disease but one which has spread all over the country. The government should look beyond NCR in applying cures to this crisis.”
Angara authored Senate Bill 1568 or the Sustainable Transportation Act which seeks to create transportation demand management programs that will reduce the volume of cars in the roads. The program shall include carpooling, telecommuting, a transport program for government employees, a bus rapid transit system, and a water ferry system, among others.
He noted that while there is a steady increase in the number of motor vehicles in the country, the capacity of roads and mass transport systems remains the same, or worse, is deteriorating.
“The bias in favor of cars as the main means of transport has to be reversed in the coming years and decades. Umu-okupa ng malaking bahagi ng kalye ang mga pribadong sasakyan na kakaunti lang naman ang sakay kumpara sa mga tren, bus o jeepney,” he said.
“A former mayor of Bogota, Colombia once said that a developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It’s where the rich use public transport. We should aim for this,” Angara added.
“A former mayor of Bogota, Colombia once said that a developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It’s where the rich use public transport. We should aim for this.”
