Philippines has 5th worst traffic in the world – study

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is the fifth country in the world with the worst traffic conditions, according to the online database Numbeo.

The Philippines had a traffic index score of 201.31 based on Numbeo’s Traffic Index for Country 2015 Mid-Year report.

Traffic Index is a composite index of time consumed in traffic due to job commute, estimation of time consumption dissatisfaction, carbon dioxide consumption estimation in traffic, and overall inefficiencies in the traffic system.

The study reported that average one-way commuting and traveling time or time index in the Philippines spans 46.09 minutes before people reach their destination.

The traffic situation in the country spurred a dissatisfaction rate of 4,020.42 while traffic inefficiency is at 216.01.

Egypt topped the worst traffic list with an index of 284.51, followed by South Africa (215,34), Thailand (211.86), Iran (202.90), the Philippines, Turkey (198.61), Russia (195.51), India (195.02), Brazil (194.29) and Argentina (186.46).

The Philippines was rated among the worst countries in Asia, placing third.

In Numbeo’s report last January, the Philippines placed fourth among Asian countries and ninth in the world.

Numbeo is reportedly the world’s largest database of user-contributed data about cities and countries worldwide factoring the cost of living, housing indicators, health care, traffic, crime and pollution.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) earlier said the traffic situation in the metropolis is expected to get worse in the next 15 years.

The government’s “Roadmap for Transport Infrastructure Development for Metro Manila and its Surrounding Areas” will be implemented until 2030, according to the MMDA.

The program aims to ease traffic congestion in mega Manila and improve mobility, connectivity and quality of life of the residents.

Beginning Monday, members of the Highway Patrol Group of the Philippine National Police will man traffic on six major “choke points” along EDSA.