Panelo suggests 24-hour work activity to ease traffic

“Can you imagine kung gagawin mong 24 hours ang activity, di kalahati niyan nasa night time iyong kalahati nasa araw (if we make a 24-hour activity, so half of the people would be out at night time while half would be out at day time),” he added. (File photo: Office of the Presidential Spokesperson/Facebook)

MANILA — Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo has suggested the implementation of a 24-hour work activity — some working in the day, some at night — to ease the worsening traffic in Metro Manila.

“Personal kong ano (This is my personal suggestion),” Panelo said in a Palace media briefing on Tuesday.

Although there are industries that already operate at night, Panelo said the difference with his proposal is that having some come to work at day and some at night would lessen the number of people traveling.

“For instance, eskuwelahan, bangko, kung merong night, kumbaga 24 hours ang activity natin. Meron bang ganoon sa buong mundo? Parang wala pa. Ano kaya subukan natin(school banks, if there are activities at night, it’s like having a 24-hour activity. Is there an existing arrangement like that in the world? I don’t think so. What if we try it)?” Panelo said.

“Can you imagine kung gagawin mong 24 hours ang activity, di kalahati niyan nasa night time iyong kalahati nasa araw (if we make a 24-hour activity, so half of the people would be out at night time while half would be out at day time),” he added.

Under an administrative order signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last year, the administration aims to decongest Metro Manila by building a central hub of government agencies at the New Clark City (NCC) in Pampanga.

Last year, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) relocated to NCC from its former office in Ortigas.

Aside from the DOTr, also scheduled to transfer are the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Justice, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Office of Civil Defense, and the Climate Change Commission.

Open to suggestions

Panelo, meanwhile, said the government is open to recommendations from public on ways to ease traffic in Metro Manila.

“Dati naman tayong (We have always been) open. In fact, kapag may nagmumungkahi sa opisina kong ganiyang, may sulat, binibigay ko kaagad sa MMDA, (if my office receives recommendations like that, they immediately give it to the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA),” Panelo said.

“They can send it to MMDA directly; they can send it to OP (Office of the President); they can send it to me,” he added.

Panelo explained that the “government should always be open to any suggestion that will improve whatever problem the government faces.”

However, he also appealed to the commuting public to give the MMDA a chance to ease traffic by implementing its widely-criticized provincial bus ban along Edsa.

“Gaya nang sinabi ko, nag-eeksperimento sila. Tingnan natin kung ano ang kahihinatnan, and then saka tayo gumawa ng hakbang (As I said, they’re experimenting. Let’s see where it leads to and then let us take steps),” Panelo said.

Panelo said he is also personally open to all suggestions, including proposal to use private roads in subdivisions as alternate routes.

More patience

Panelo explained that since previous administrations were not able to solve traffic along Edsa, the public should be more open to other ways to try to reduce the number of cars on the road.

“Walang administrasyong naka-solve niyan (No administration has been able to solve it). And they are precisely trying to do something about it. Marami na silang tinangka, pero mukhang nabibigo pa (Many have tried, but failed),” Panelo said.

“Baka ibang klaseng solusyon — gaya nang nasabi ko, siguro kailangan niyan maraming skyways gaya nang nakikita ko sa ibang bansa(Maybe another solution — like what I said, perhaps we need more skyways like what we see in other countries),” he added.

Since the construction of additional skyways requires funding, he sought more patience from the public as the government tests different ways to reduce traffic.

“Let MMDA do its job. Kapag wala pa ring magawa, eh di hanap naman tayo ng ibang solusyon (If they don’t accomplish anything, then let’s find another solution). It’s useless discussing these things na mayroon na nga silang nirerekomenda at ginagawa nilang paraan tapos hindi pa nga nagagawa, ito na tayo, kini-criticize na (when they’re making recommendations and they haven’t been implemented yet but it’s already being criticized),” Panelo said.

“Hintayin muna natin (Let’s wait for it) — be patient. Lahat tayo naman ay apektado eh (We are all affected),” he added.

Emergency powers

Panelo said he will also ask President Rodrigo Duterte if he is open to asking the Congress anew to grant him emergency powers to ease the Metro traffic woes.

Duterte has been requesting Congress to grant him emergency powers but the Senate has been hesitant to pass the measure amid corruption concerns.

Senator Francis Tolentino, former MMDA chairman, has vowed to push for the passage of emergency powers in the Upper Chamber.