Officials at the MMDA and members of the Metro Manila Council are beginning to behave like addicts. Their addiction to solving the traffic problem in Metro Manila has come to a point where they are having an Overdose and this is reflected in their most recent idea of banning single passenger vehicles from EDSA during the rush hour. They think that banning single passenger cars will promote “car pooling” and free up some space on EDSA by forcing people off Metro Manila’s main artery and making them go to small roads and the Mabuhay lanes. Sounds plausible until they get sober and come to our reality:
Targeting single passenger vehicles is “Discriminatory action” because even single occupants of registered vehicles pay Road Users Tax like everyone else. They also paid many other taxes to buy their vehicle and register their vehicle as well as tax on car insurance. Many single passenger vehicles are on their way to fetch or pick-up a spouse, children etc. As one Netizen posted: How am I now suppose to pick up my children from school? The ban on single occupant vehicles is also pro rich and pro business since these are the ones who can afford drivers. Just as relevant as the rest of the arguments is the fact that “Car pooling” is suppose to be a voluntary and communal decision, not an imposition to be made by the MMDA or MMC.
The MMDA should also realize the fact that the concept of Rush Hour on EDSA no longer holds because as early as 5:30 a.m. the traffic is thick and carries on until past 11 p.m. on many days. In fact it is now considered a miracle of sorts when traffic becomes unexplainably light on rare occasions and is considered worth posting on Facebook!
The MMDA officials and the MMC should go on an ocular inspection of EDSA by air and by land, traverse this main artery – meter by slow meter and then list the numerous sins of the DPWH, MMDA, DOTC (then) MMC and many others who all contributed to making EDSA the Frankenstein that it is now! First and foremost what do you expect when you make a main “Highway” like Hi-way 54 into a road that expands and contracts, goes up and goes under, peppered with walls, pillars and engineering obstructions? Then you cram every imaginable vehicle into it so it can ferry millions of commuters to various political kingdoms of Mayors who don’t believe in zoning, correct land use or rationalizing urbanization? How can you honestly manage traffic when your policies and re-routing defend and protect the privacy of exclusive villages so much so that they are considered untouchable, but everyone else can’t argue against flyovers or bridges running overhead or in front of their condominiums!
The fact of the matter is Traffic is today’s reality. Anyone who wants to avoid getting trapped in it has the option and the choice to leave early for an appointment. Anyone who wants to minimize the impact of traffic in their existence has the option to re-engineer their activities by minimizing travel distance, re-engineering schedules as well as office hours. The rest of us workers/ants simply live with it and make the best of it by using time in traffic for listening to podcasts, praying, solving problems or making plans or catching up via speaker phone. The last thing we need is for a bunch of solution addicts meddling with our already uncomfortable journey by telling us to free up space on EDSA. Stop meddling with the pace of life. We have all already come to accept the reality of traffic on EDSA, we all have faith, the ability to believe the unseen; that we will all eventually arrive where we want to go.
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Instead of targeting single occupant vehicles, I challenge each and every Mayor in the MMC to initiate the following in their respective locality:
Ban all types of commercial vehicles and deliveries from 5 a.m. to midnight. Force business establishments to conduct all logistical operations after midnight until 5 a.m. only. This will actually create more employment, better and faster mobility for everyone. We have seen the success and benefits of call centers, public markets and similar businesses. It is one sure way to boost the economy and solve our traffic woes together! Remove or relocate all factories and warehouses outside Metro Manila. By doing this, we will open up the Pasig River to residential and business rentals as well as the development of the Pasig River Ferry. The river banks will instantly give us open space that can be used for additional roads as well.
Correct major mistakes in routing schemes and roads, for instance there used to be an intersection on EDSA and Katipunan where the EDSA Freedom monument is. The MRT was allowed to wall it up and now thousands of vehicles cause traffic north bound in their attempt to make a U-turn under the Santolan Flyover. Either we make a flyover from Katipunan to EDSA southbound and dig an underground tunnel for the MRT just like in Buendia/EDSA. At the Pasay area, the flyover on EDSA to NAIA ate up too much by being two lanes. It should be re-engineered to one lane at the entrance or widen the lane going to EDSA/Taft where there is a constant bottleneck.
Whatever the solution addicts come up with, STAY OFF the backs of private car owners or single passenger vehicles! Just like you we also need to get somewhere. Stop obsessing on EDSA traffic because you can only do so much. Don’t piss off vehicle owners who are getting testy by the day or you might see more people on foot on EDSA not with cars but with placards!
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