MMDA backs emergency powers for Duterte to solve traffic mess

MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) identified Wednesday several traffic chokepoints across the metropolis as it also expressed support for the granting of emergency powers to President Rodrigo Duterte for a speedy solution to the worsening traffic situation.

 

Among the chokepoints tagged by the MMDA are the following:

 

EDSA

Manila North Harbor area

Southern Metro Manila

(Roads leading to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals)

Northern Metro Manila

Eastern Metro Manila 

Quezon City 

Manila

"The traffic (situation) in the metropolis was also caused by undisciplined motorists, illegally-parked vehicles, and illegal structures of bus and jeepney terminals," said Crisanto Saruca, head of the MMDA’s Traffic Discipline Office.

 

Saruca added that a lack of a modern mass transport system and the ever-increasing number of vehicles on the roads also contributed to the situation.

 

While identifying traffic choke points across the metro, Emerson Carlos, the former head of the MMDA agreed that the granting of emergency powers to the president could help in finding speedy remedies to traffic woes.

 

RELATED: Rody wants emergency powers vs traffic crisis

 

Carlos said giving the president emergency powers would enable the government to create more infrastructure projects.

 

"It is better to use the emergency powers for infrastructure projects to solve traffic congestion because there is no instant solution for infrastructure. We can do (infrastructure) but it will take more than two years before we can start the project," he said.

 

Carlos said the emergency powers could also be used by the President to unify traffic laws, rules and regulations now being implemented by the national government and the local government units. 

 

"There should be rationalization of traffic laws, like for example, we are implementing a no parking zone but the concerned local government unit there has a different policy which allows parking. So, there should be a common policy," he said.

 

Duterte earlier said he could not solve the long-festering traffic problem in Metro Manila unless Congress gives him the additional power to deal with it.