‘So grabe the traffic’

In Combat or in Civilian life it is frustrating to discover you have a “Missing Man” in your formation or operations. That “Missing Man” represents a dead person in combat and in business that missing man might as well be dead for not carrying his share of the load or doing his job.

Last week many were asking “Why is the traffic worse than ever” and the guy who felt the brunt of the complaints was MMDA Chairman Danny Lim, who was understandably frustrated at being asked for miracles and pestered by reporters who could not seem to make the effort of going further than the MMDA. Had some of them done real investigative work, they might have realized that there were a lot of “Missing Men” and many other reasons why the traffic seems to have gotten worse.

First you have a host of “Missing Men” in the field such as the Highway Patrol Group – PNP – MMDA on EDSA whose presence has been diminished of late. Even the LTFRB and LTO who used to check for colorum buses and vans are fewer than before while the illegal bus and vans have increased. Those exiting EDSA are stuck as well because Local Traffic Enforcers were missing or prioritizing arrests like on Meralco Avenue, Pasig, or reporting for duty only when traffic jams have occurred or at peak.

Then you have so many mayors whose mantra inside the MMDA Conference room is “US FIRST.” Reporters conveniently camp around or hound the appointed official like Danny Lim but over-look or forget that for all intents and purposes the MMDA is still at the mercy and under the thumb of every mayor of every member City comprising Metro Manila. The priority of these mayors are always their territory, authority and convenient status quo. The rest of Metro Manila on EDSA and C5 are not their voters so they don’t give a rats’ ass if they get stuck in Carmagedon. You can build another super highway on top of EDSA but all of the vehicles still have to get off somewhere.

You see dear reporters and commentators, the “Missing Men” only go out when you reporters and commentators go out and tell the world who’s working and who’s missing. In the city of Manila, a DZRH reporter a.k.a “Boy Sumbong” has made a reputation for himself by reporting everyday on all the vehicular and pedestrian traffic that’s wrong in Manila, to the point that City officials regularly monitor his reports mostly in the afternoon.

The key word is “consistently” as in everyday. Imagine what would happen if each station chose an area and assigned reporters to do hourly reports of places where illegal terminals, illegal parking etc. took place! Reporters and commentators also do not single out stubborn or selfish Mayors with the “US FIRST” mentality.

So as stated the first problem is the “Missing Men” in the formation. There are many “Missing Men” on both sides of the fence. The HPG/ MMDA/ PNP but most especially the local traffic enforcers. NO ONE is keeping an eye on them or criticizing the fact that they only show up at peak hours! The other set of “Missing Men” are members of the media especially Social Media who have been on a wait and see status for too long. Because we cooled down, many local and national officials thought we were all ok with the fact that Traffic has not improved under the Duterte Administration. It is not about politicians or politics, traffic affects each of us and each of us have to be vigilant and vocal about the things that matter to us or affects us most! The problem is we don’t do it consistently and intentionally.

In the perfect world, the LGUs should submit themselves to the leading and authority of the MMDA as the original Metro Manila Commission was under an elected Governor similar to New York etc. But because LGUs have Congressmen who conspire to protect their territory, they somehow managed to turn things around using the “anti-Marcos” sentiment after EDSA 1 to make MMDA subservient to the local mayors. Only in the Philippines is the “State Authority” subject to a bunch of local officials! If PRRD is for federalism, Danny Lim and the MMDA should educate the public on the need for an elected Governor of Metro Manila. We are the National Capital Region yet we are the only region without an elected Governor.

If Chairman Danny Lim would welcome some suggestion he might want to quietly drive through the Kabuhayan routes that are marked by roadside eateries or government offices that draw and create traffic because they don’t have proper parking space. Banks and government offices are notorious for this. Accessibility must be complimented with ample Off-street parking otherwise, Danny Lim should recommend to the Office of the President to issue an Executive Order that government offices should only lease facilities designed with ample off-street parking.

The MMDA should also investigate road space being turned into PAID PARKING that take away road space. Car owners paid for those roads with the Road Users tax, when local governments turn them into “commercial parking” that in essence is graft. They are not parking space they are for driving. A perfect two-punch combination that creates traffic is on Henry Javier Street, just before Pasig Blvd. The local barangay allowed the establishment of roadside carinderias or eateries that occupy part of the sidewalk. Then the roadside was designated as “Paid Parking” by the local government. The convenience of parking has been a blessing to “diners” but irritating to drivers slowed down by double parking!

* * *

E-mail: [email protected]