Metro Manila traffic causes P2.4B loss to PH – study

Traffic jam in Manila (Photo courtesy of Travel Daily News)

According to a National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) study, the traffic congestion in Metro Manila caused the country a P2.4-billion loss in productivity.

Atom Araullo said in his report that the constricted streets, construction works, lack of sidewalks and parking areas, millions of vehicles and commuters, inefficient mass transportation systems, and ineffective urban planning, among others, were the grounds behind traffic congestions.

MMDA, for their part, asserted that they were not the sole agency responsible for easing Metro Manila’s traffic condition.

“Nung umupo ako, 1.7 million lang ang sasakyan sa Metro Manila; 2.4 million na ngayon. Ganun pa rin yung kalsada natin. Hindi lumapad yung kalsada natin,” MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said.

(When I [became the MMDA chairman], there were only 1.7 million vehicles in Metro Manila; now, there’s 2.4 million. Our roads stayed the same. Our roads were not widened.)

Araullo also said that motorists and commuters alike were to blame for the traffic jams as well as they were not following designated loading and unloading areas and parking areas.

“Wala rin sila sa disiplina. Awatin mo, aawayin ka pa (They don’t have discipline. Reprimand them, they’d argue with you),” a traffic enforcer said.

Araullo concluded in his report that until the traffic condition in Metro Manila is not improved, the country will continue losing millions of pesos.