Malacañang on Monday said that the administration is determined to solve the traffic congestion in Metro Manila amid criticisms from an official of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines who said that the metropolis may become uninhabitable within four years due to the worsening traffic situation.
A Palace official also defended the planned phaseout of public utility vehicles (jeepneys and bus units) at least 15 years old as a two-pronged move to help decongest Metro Manila and reduce pollutants.
“The National Economic and Development Authority board approved in June 2014 and implemented the principles of the Mega Manila Dream Plan or Roadmap for Transport Infrastructure Development for Metro Manila and Its Surrounding Areas, including Calabarzon and Central Luzon,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said.
Calabarzon refers to the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.
Coloma said that based on the recommendation of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the roadmap hopes to solve traffic congestion; prevent households from living in hazardous conditions; remove barriers for seamless mobility; eliminate the excessive cost burden for low-income groups; and prevent air pollution.
Coloma was reacting to John Forbes, Amcham senior advisor, who stressed the need to immediately improve roads and infrastructure.
Forbes said Metro Manila is “at risk of becoming uninhabitable as annual car sales increase to 500,000 by 2020. While roads are being improved throughout the country, the National Capital Region urgently needs more limited access roads, especially skyways, and rail.”
Amid Forbes’ apocalyptic warning, a group of jeepney drivers and operators, Piston, slammed the phaseout of old PUVs, saying that the real measure of road worthiness and efficiency is not based on the age of the vehicle but its current state.
Piston’s president George San Mateo accused the Transportation Department of forcing them to purchase from DoTC electric jeepneys that will be imported from an unknown country.
“We are not opposed to the modernization of the transport sector but we are opposed to the modernization program of DoTC,” San Mateo said.
Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya allayed the drivers’ fears of the phaseout, saying that the agency has yet to finalize the conduct of the plan as it is still in the middle of consultation and dialogue with stakeholders. Piston brushed aside Abaya’s statement as “mere PR.”
The Philippines is seen as an important automotive market growth area in the region as the volume of vehicles sold is expected to surge.
Domestic vehicle sales in 2020 would account to between eight to 10 percent of the projected total sales of five to six million units within member economies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.Ӭ
From 168,000 units sold in 2010, vehicle sales in the country reached 269,000 units in 2014 and are expected to surpass industry target of 310,000 units in 2015, according to the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc.
This year, Campi sees vehicle sales reaching a new high of 350,000 units, on its way to 500,000 units by 2020.Ӭ
Aside from access roads, Forbes said the new airport terminal in Clark should be built in the next two years with a non-stop fast train connector similar to Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, and Tokyo to improve traffic flow.
John Paolo Bencito
