A lawmaker on Friday called on the House of Representatives to pass soonest the bill that codifies the rights of commuters.
The proposed Magna Carta of Commuters aims to address the inequality that has arisen from decades of failure to implement proper connectivity in the country, said Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles.
“I am appealing to my colleagues. We have just started the new year. Now is a better time than ever to resolve the daily nightmare of our commuters,” said Nograles, vice chairman of the House justice committee.
The bill enumerates and upholds the rights of the commuting public.
These rights range from public transportation services to safe and accessible infrastructure to clean air during travel and to commuter representation and participation governance.
The Magna Carta also calls for a shift from a car-centric public policy and infrastructure to a sustainable transport and mobility policy that provides safe access and mobility to all, promotes economic development while simultaneously preserving the environment and uplifts the commuter, according to Nograles.
“This measure aims to set our priorities straight on how spaces are used—users of public transportation, since they comprise the largest number, should be given priority in the use of our roads,” Nograles said.
He added that addressing the perennial traffic woes of the country, particularly in urban areas, demanded looking at root causes such as land use policy and correcting the proportion of private and public transportation.
“In a sense, the Magna Carta of Commuters would force policy makers and implementers to view the issue of mobility as a system of inter-related issues that requires a holistic, multi-stakeholder approach,” added Nograles.
The measure’s ultimate goal is to ensure ease of movement and to make commuting dignified, Nograles said.
