All the talk over the last years about decongesting the Metro Manila area has been just that—all talk. No political leader has been willing or able to address exactly what needs to be done to accomplish this objective.
The problems of the Metro area—traffic, pollution and even crime—are due in part to the fact that there are simply too many people in too small a space. But asking folks to migrate to other areas of the country is completely unrealistic if there is no viable transportation, infrastructure and commercial facilities that can provide jobs.
The root of the problem may be that our politicians and those making the decisions are an entrenched part of “Imperial Manila”. Finally, though, the Duterte administration may be taking the proper steps to break the stranglehold the National Capital Region has on the rest of the nation and on the money that funds public-works projects. It is about time.
Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno has began to outline a long-term plan that, hopefully, will achieve the twin goals of decongesting Metro Manila and bringing more prosperity to other regions and provinces. Diokno said the government would build more transportation infrastructure to connect more areas to Metro Manila.
We have heard those sentiments expressed in the past, to no avail. Nothing has changed. But now, there is a strong glimmer of hope. Diokno said the government plans to implement projects in the provinces “simultaneously and not sequentially” to those in the Metro area. The attitude of prior administrations has been, “Once we get Manila fixed, you are next.” That concept has been a total failure.
You cannot expect people—whether rich or poor—to build homes, invest in business and start new lives in vast provincial wastelands lacking in infrastructure and without much of a future. It may be a silly analogy, but, if an area cannot support a major national bank or fast-food restaurant, how can the government expect people to move to that area?
This problem may or may not be a justification of a more federalized structure of the government. However, one thing is absolutely clear and evident. The economic success of the Philippines can never reach its potential without increased prosperity outside of Metro Manila. We hear this constant whining about inclusive growth. How can there be inclusive growth if people living even a mere 100 kilometers away from Metro Manila have scant economic opportunities?
If helping build the provincial economies is a genuine objective of the Duterte administration and not just mere talk, then we need to support it. At the same time, we hold Secretary Diokno and the administration to their word. The future of the Philippines may depend on them.
Image credits: Jimbo Albano
2 comments
Bringing opportunities to the provinces will also allow probinsyanos working in Manila to go back home. The BPO industry wants to expand and reach out to the provinces to provide jobs, but needed infrastructure on power and telecommunications is needed in those areas so that they can set up their offices. I praise this new government for that. With this mindset, the massive number of people from the provinces going to Manila for opportunity will minimize, and lessen the congestion and the problems that come with it, in our capital,
What is the point of building more infrastructure connecting Metro Manila to the provinces if you want to decongest it. How about moving government offices outside of Metro-Manila? The government can start with Camp Aguinaldo, Camp Crame, and Nichols Air base. How about focusing on online services instead of requiring personal appearance to conduct business? To decongest Metro-Manila you have to de populate it. Give businesses tax incentives to relocate outside Metro-Manila. Lowering their corporate taxes will encourage them. Same thing for private colleges and universities. Metro-Manila has a population density of 21,000 per SQ KM not counting the people passing thru or coming from the provinces just to study or conduct business.