Traffic congestion in Metro Manila and other major cities in the Philippines has deteriorated, according to The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).
The agency says that the situation could thwart the country’s vision to improve its people’s quality of life, the Manila Bulletin “PCCI laments deteriorating Manila traffic condition” reports.
Below are further excerpts from the Manila Bulletin article:
- Data from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) shows that daily traffic congestion in the country amounts to P3.5 billion or around USD 67 million in economic losses, which they project to reach P5.4 billion (USD 104 million) in 2035, stemming from the hours lost in workers and businesses’ productivity.
- According to the PCCI, these daily economic losses suffered by the country will hinder its vision to improve its people’s quality of life.
- When it comes to the traffic’s impact on sales and supply chains, logistic costs account for 25% of the share in sales in the Philippines, which is one of the highest among its ASEAN neighbors – averaging at 10%, says Pierre Curay, president, the Supply Chain Management Association of the Philippines.
- Transport policies in the country are also partly to blame for the high cost of transport in the Philippines, and if transport cost goes up, so does the price of commodities.
- PCCI President George T. Barcelon stressed that improving the country’s traffic situation in its major cities will help attract more investors and businesses and create more job opportunities.
- According to experts, solutions to ease road congestion in Manila and other city centers in the Philippines include the following:
- Increase mass transportation. More public transportation should be available to commuters daily and fewer private cars. The road and railways (MRT) infrastructure projects pending completion are considered a short-term solution to traffic congestion. However, more long-term solutions are needed to address the problem.
- Transportation expert and consultant, Engr. Rene Santiago recommends expanding public transport, which would entail constructing 246 kilometers of mass transit lines and 78 kilometers of the urban expressway.
- Management and population distribution in the country’s new growth centers are long-term solutions.
- Encouraging more hybrid work and schooling set up. According to Santiago, this set-up will put 250,000 cars off the road and one million commuters off public transport. At the height of the pandemic, when there was an increase in work- and schooling- from-home situations, traffic has temporarily eased, but traffic has increased again as workers and students returned to work.
- Increase mass transportation. More public transportation should be available to commuters daily and fewer private cars. The road and railways (MRT) infrastructure projects pending completion are considered a short-term solution to traffic congestion. However, more long-term solutions are needed to address the problem.
Curay and Santiago both agree that the Build Build Build program, a centerpiece of President Duterte’s administration, should continue.
The country needs more railways, expand its seaport capacity, and create an Integrated Logistics and Supply Chain Infrastructure and Supply Chain National Development Council, to improve logistics and supply chains and transport policies.
The infrastructure development needs of the Philippines require sustained long-term investment over the next 30 years, which will span multiple presidential administrations.
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