I AM sure that everyone is fully aware of our worsening traffic, which, according to a recent article I read on the Rappler news website, is costing us P2.4 billion a day! Unfortunately, rather than focusing on structural improvements, our government has resorted to palliative measures that have not really solved the problem. In some cases, they have even added to it. Examples of this are restrictions on vehicle use, traffic rerouting, the addition of traffic personnel and other doubtful schemes.
It does not take a genius to figure out that some of the basic causes of our horrendous traffic are the constriction in our existing road network, illegal use of roads, corrupt and inept traffic enforcers, lack of roads and other infrastructure, and lack of both driver and pedestrian education. If only our government would pay attention and make sure these things were corrected, then we have a chance to ease our worsening traffic.
In my opinion, the obvious cause of road constriction is that public buses and jeepneys pick up and drop off passengers anywhere, including the middle of the street. These same vehicles also weave in and out of their lanes, disrupting the smooth flow of traffic. Commuters are also to blame by standing in the middle of the road while trying to get a ride. There should be clearly identified pickup and drop-off stations for buses and jeepneys, and these should not eat into the existing road lanes. There should be ample space for both buses and jeepneys, as well as commuters, so that they do not block the road.
We have all seen our precious roads being used for everything, from barangay halls and basketball courts to the drying of palay (unhusked rice), squatters and vendors or stalls. They have also been used for parking, transport terminals and, worse of all, by pedicabs, tricycles and other vehicles not meant for primary road use. All of these illegal uses of our roads should be put to an end, so that it can be used for what it was constructed for!
Corrupt and inept traffic enforcers are particularly painful for taxpaying citizens. Imagine paying someone to make your life miserable! First of all, they congregate and work like goons to extort money from unsuspecting motorists. Rather than ensure the smooth flow of traffic, they impede it and look for a reason to cite the motorist for an imaginary traffic violation, like swerving, being out of the lane, making a right turn and so on. They stand in the middle of the road and obstruct traffic; park their motorcycles at the corner; and take manual control over automatic and synchronized stoplights, causing even worse traffic jams. The government should put an end to this and remove all police powers from these enforcers.
Without a doubt, there is a need to construct more roads and bridges. We also need more parking buildings to take parking off the streets and allow more road usage. Most important, we need to have a safe and efficient mass-transport system that can be used by the public. It would also be good for the government to have well-planned urban communities that provides for the right balance of work, home and recreation, creating a smooth flow of traffic.
The lack of both driver and pedestrian education has also caused a lot of our traffic woes. After all, if the driver cannot even read or understand basis traffic signs and the pedestrians do not even know where to properly cross the street, then we really do not have a system, leading to our currently chaotic traffic situation. Perhaps, this can be included as part of a high-school or even grade-school subject.
The only way we can solve a problem is by acknowledging that there is one. Let us tell the government that, yes, there is a big problem and, hopefully, it comes up with the right solutions to fix it.
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Send comments to georgechuaph@yahoo.com. The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (Finex). Free Enterprise is a rotating column of members of Finex and appears every Wednesday and Friday.