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The Philippines on the Other Side

Sep 11, 20224 min read

Makati and Pasay from above. The section on the left is mostly in Pasay, but it also covers Barangay Bangkal, Palanan, San Isidro, and Magallanes Village in Makati near the Quirino Highway. | Google Earth Images


Written by: Justine Queenie C. Bacani


"Let's go party at BGC, bro!" We often hear party-goers talk about the famous and rich ‘The Fort’. The city is named "A piece of Japan at the heart of metropolitan development in Manila" by the Manila Bulletin due to its palatable, fairly-spaced infrastructures and transparent roads. Unfortunately, this seemed to be not the case outside Taguig and Makati.


This is apparent in the famous image found on Google Earth by Isola Tong, an architect and visual artist, where the division of cities is visible. Dr. Mojgan Sami, who works at the intersection of urban planning, public health, and sustainability, stressed that urban planning in the Philippines hasn't changed since the colonial period. With foreign lands and sky-high structures and regulations separating colonial settlers from local populations, Manila is making the same error as the United States did 100 years ago.


TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM


Although Manila is home to spectacular and elevated skyscrapers as evidence of the city’s progress, it has the 4th worst traffic congestion in the world according to the Amsterdam-based TomTom International B.V. last year.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the traffic congestion in Metro Manila dropped by 25%. It is certainly a good news for commuters, but then, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) promulgated the 'no vaccination, no ride' policy last January, which was considered too restrictive and discriminatory against commuters by the Human Rights Commission.


Furthermore, Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Rep. France Castro pointed out that public transportation is a utility for the public; therefore, no one should be denied the right to use it. She also added that vaccination cards shouldn’t be used as an additional mandatory requirement for education, employment, and government transaction purposes according to Section 12 of the Republic Act 11525, or the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act. While it limits the use of public transportation, the chances are that private vehicles will be more prominent on the roadways due to the inability of some to commute. As a result, traffic congestion will still persist.

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said it would submit proposals made by experts. During PCCI's General Membership Meeting (GMM), experts and stakeholders stated that the best way to relieve traffic congestion in the densely crowded metropolitan metropolis of Metro Manila is to enhance mass transit. Additionally, there is a need for more public transit and fewer automobiles on the road, according to Rene Santiago, a transportation expert and consultant.


TRANSITION OF LEARNING MODE

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced last November that they are targeting to implement a full face-to-face learning mode. This immediately caught the attention of The Passenger Forum (TPF), stating that the government must be mindful of the increased demand on our already overstretched public transportation infrastructure. TPF Convener Primo Morillo stated that before returning to a fully face-to-face program, the government must first fix the road infrastructures. He also added that the government should at least provide immediate relief for commuters.


The DOTr proposed to open additional routes and revive pre-pandemic city buses in order to ensure efficient transport. However, doing this will not make any difference because traffic congestion has always been an issue even before the pandemic. Not to mention, additional vehicles lead to heavier traffic.

The transparent division of cities indicates there's a lot to improve in urban planning in the Philippines. Even Taguig, a first-class city, has its imperfections. You will see the lives of middle-class to lower-class Filipinos in Manila after you leave the cityscape. The division of lives is not only apparent between Taguig and the outside of it, but it is also between the working class and the rich as well. The government should provide a long-term solution because we have been facing these issues for a long time, yet they kept on proposing band-aid solutions such as fixing road infrastructures and reviving pre-pandemic buses. These will only make traffic congestion worse than it is. Indeed, we are tired of these.

 

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