2016-10-21

I rarely go to Makati nowadays and I guess if you are from Makati you rarely go to Cubao in Quezon City. Let us say there should be a very compelling reason for one to endure and abide the traffic.  I am lucky though. I do not have to travel through EDSA to work. I used to but that was years ago the traffic was horrible then but not horrendous. How does one manage this monster called traffic?

Serendipity, a fancy term for luck, happens from time to time.

A few weeks ago on my way to Diliman I was able to grab a ride on a cab. As we went to Diliman the conversation went to the traffic problem and my cab driver had some strong opinions on how to manage traffic. In fact my cabbie lets call him Driver X, feels so strongly about his solutions that he even sent it to the office of DOTr Secretary Tugade but it got no response. As our discussion went further we were approaching my drop off point and I asked him if he would agree for me to publish it on-line, and let more people take a look at it, so that people may know.

Driver X agreed but only if I keep his identity anonymous, because it might put his job in danger. I agreed and gave him my email so he can send me his plan to solve Metro Manila’s traffic problem.

So here is Driver X’s plan unedited save for the following: (i) Some formatting; (ii) Notes enclosed in open and close parentheses; (iii) And any reference or any information about his identity.

TRAFFIC PROBLEM AND SOLUTION IN METRO MANILA AND OTHER CITIES

Dear Mr. President,

How are you?

I’m taking this opportunity to contribute my opinion and possibly solve or at least lessen our worsening traffic problem.

First of all, I am a taxi driver, and there’s no workforce other than taxi driver who knows better about traffic problem and its solution in Metro Manila. We, taxi driver are the most exposed in metro manila traffic, driving continuously at least a minimum of 12 hours a day or more if our earnings still not enough to pay the boundary and fuel. And as a chess player as well, I analyze the problem and can think of possible solution based on actual situation in front of me, which differs from technocrats analysis based on table meeting. Traffic problem is easier to solve than playing in a high level chess tournament. I already sent the same message to some government officials and media personalities. Some points here have been implemented already but not enough. I wish my suggestion will be heard by our beloved President Duterte or to some officials in charge of our traffic problem.

Please find hereunder my suggestions.

I. (GENERAL SUGGESTIONS)

1) Ipagbabawal ang pag park sa lahat ng kalsadang pagmamay-ari ng Gobyerno. (Ito ang malaking contributor sa pagbagal ng Traffic Flow.

2) Magpapagawa ng mga multi level (6-25 level steel Parking Space, can be installed in 5-15 days) to save cost and time to construct. Appllicable sa mga crowded Barangays, Commercial & Business District, Schools, Hospitals etc. at doon ipapark ang mga sasakyan, one way of generating income.

3) Magpapagawa ng malaking imbakan ng mga sirang sasakyan na hinayaang naka park sa mga kalsada na napakatagal ng panahon, at iassess kung iisrap ba or magbabayad ng storage fee ang owner.

4) Tanggalin ang lahat na illegal sidewalk vendor na nakakasagabal sa daanan ng mga tao at sasakyan.

5) Bus at jeepney stop dapat 50 meters away from intersection, at dapat sa tabi lang mag load and unload (outer lane).

6) Ipagbawal ang mga Jeep, Bus at Taxi na more than 15 years nang tumatakbo, ipatupad stictly ang road worthiness ng sasakyan.

7) Ipatupad strictly ang mga sumusunod.

(a) No stopping sa orange (yellow) block intersection.

(b) No Loading and unloading 50 meters and below from intersection, at sa tabi lang mag load and unload.

(c) Ang mga Bus dapat mag stay sa Bus lanes.

(d) Load and unload within 30 seconds sa mga Bus/Jeepney stop.

8)  Ipagbabawal ang parang terminal na pag gamit sa mga kalsada, (EDSA) example;    Roosevelt, Ortigas, Farmers Plaza Cubao, Shaw Blvd., Boni, Guadalupe, Ayala.

9)  Ipagbawal ang mga Tricycle at Pedicab sa mga major Roads. Lalo na sa Quezon Ave.  EDSA Pasay from Tramo.

10) Gumamit ng malalaking School Bus para sa malalaking School (ie; La Salle Greenhills,  Ateneo at Miriam College, etc. at maghanap ng strategic place na doon lang ihahatid at susunduin ng mga private cars ang mga bata. School Bus na ang maghahatid sa School at Pick up/drop off points.

11) Tanggalin ang mga apprehending officers (Traffic enforcers) na ugat ng corruption sa kalye. Mostly, hindi sila nag aassist sa Traffic flow kundi hinihintay nilang magkamali ang motorista at titiketan nila, mabibilis ang mga mata nila sa mga Plate number to apprehend number coding violator at next is seat belt.  Dapat, ang pagmonitor ng Traffic Violators ay sa CCTV lang na Closely imonitor ng mga Graduating IT students (Walang silbe ang CCTV kung wala namang nagmomonitor at irelay sa ground) na very enthusiastic to perform thru volunteerism. Sa pag assist ngTraffic Flow, gagamit ng mga Graduating College Criminology Students as part of their Civic work.

With CCTV, documented lahat ang galaw sa kalye. At ang mga  Traffic Violators iapprehend somewhere by Highway Patrol Group Personnel (HPG) who are standingby in strategic places  beside their Patrol car or padadalhan ng TVR sa kanilang Bahay at kailang ang mag report sa Government Agency na nakakasakop at ipapatupad ang mga sumusunod.

II. Traffic Violation Points System:

1) Traffic Obstruction: Overstaying at loading & unloading area, no Parking, no left or right turn, no overtaking, stopping @ no loading & unloading area) 5 points.

2) Beating the red light, counter flow, over speeding, 10 points.

Aside from fines for the above violation, accumulation of  total points within 12 months from the first offence, the following will be imposed;

(a) 25 points :  Seminar  plus one week suspension of driving license.

(b) 50 points : seminar plus one month suspension of driving licence.

(c) 75 points : seminar plus 3 months suspension of driving license.

(d) 100 points : revocation or cancellation of driving license and black listed to get another driving licence.

III. Case Study:

1) EDSA:

Monumento : Nakahambalang na ang mga Bus, Jeep at Taxi. Pinagkikitaan ng mga Traffic enforcer.

Approaching Balintawak: Nag “terminal”ang mga Bus, Jeep at Taxi/UV Express.

Balintawak Market: May mga vendors na pati sa kalsada, nakahambalang ang mga Delivery trucks and Delivery Vans, dagdagan pa ng oversize tricycle. Ayosin ang pag unload ng mga Goods at with proper scheduling.

Kingpin Road: Nag “terminal na rin ang mga Bus, Jeep at Taxi/UV Express.

Roosevelt: Matindi na ang Traffic: Dapat Gawin:

(a) Provincial Bus, No unloading, dapat sa Bus Terminal lang sila mag unload.

(b) Tanggalin ang side walk vendor along Roosevelt.

(c) Ipagbawal ang parang terminal ng Jeep at Tricycle sa Roosevelt.

(d) Jeepney, Taxi/UV load and unload along Roosevelt 50 meters away from EDSA.

(e) Bus Stop load and unload after Walter Mart.

(f) Jeepney Stop load and unload, before Bus Stop.

(g)  First U Turn slot for Private Cars.

(h)  Second U Turn Slot for Jeepney, Taxi/UV.

2) West Ave.

Strictly implement;

Load and Unload saTabi at 50 seconds or less Loading and unloading time.

Bus sa Load and Unload bay, Jeep at Taxi/UV from West ave.

Load and Unload 50 meters away before EDSA.

3) Quezon Ave. Timog/East ave

Same as West Ave.

4) Cubao area.

(a) Provincial Bus unloading at south bound terminal, will turn right at Ermin Garcia then turn left at Denver st. going to their respective Terminal. Taxi and Private vehicles that will load and unload in south bound bus terminal will take the same route. South bound City Buses load and unload between New York st. & Monte De Piedad st. at outer lane only with maximum of 30 seconds time limit. Upon leaving at loading and unloading area, all doors must be closed.

In front of Farmers Plaza

(b) South bound City Bus loading & unloading area after MRT stairway at outer lane only with 30 sec. Time limit. Sa cant ng EDSA Service road cor. P.A. Bernardo nagbababad ang mga Bus dito na hinahayaan ng mga traffic enforcer.

(c) Loading & unloading at Bus Bay and after MRT station, maximum of 30 sec.

North Bound.

(d) Implement strictly and loading & unloading sa designated bay area. And mga tao nasa restricted for pedestrian area na. Observe 30 sec time limit. Pag alis ng bus sa designated loading & unloading area closed all doors. Ipagbawal and loading & unloading sa may Vivalde tower.

Santolan road.

(e) Loading & unloading 50 meters before intersection& observe 30 sec. Time limit. Sa North Bound, dapat ang U-Turn ay sa EDSA outer lane (not inner lane, it affects North Bound Traffic flow) sa ilalim ng Santolan Flyover before Traffic light

5) Ortigas Ave.

a) From Santolan MRT station maglagay ng sign na ang Pasig Bound dapat sa innermost lane then pagdating sa tapat ng white plains lagyan ng barrier na one lane lang ang papunta sa ortigas flyover to Pasig, ibuka to two lanes 50 meters before flyover.

b) From inside of Ortigas BCD, no exit to Ortigas ave. from ADB road and E. Rodriguez Jr., they can take onyx road and u-turn under meralco ave. Flyover.

c) Jeepney from East going to Shaw blvd. no stopping at Meralco ave. Flyover.

d) Tanggalin angJeepney Terminal sa ilalim ng Ortigas Flyover, San Juan Pasig route,

e) Ang mga Bus dapat sa outer lane lang mag load/unload 30 seconds time limit.

Crossing Shaw Blvd.:

Malaking income ang mga enforcer dito kaysa Cubao and Ortigas, hinahayaan nilang tumigil ng matagal ang mga Bus para mag load at ang kumukolekta para sa kanila ay ang mga vendors.

Worst, sinasadya nilang istop ang mga Bus kahit Go para mahaba ang time ng Bus na mag stay sa unahan ng Traffic light para maraming maisakay.  Ang mga conductor ang pumupunta sa ilalim ng flyover na may nakaupong mga enforcer para mag abot ng pera or kinokolekta ng mga naglalakong vendors.

6) Boni to Taft.

a) Iimplement ang tamang loading unloading area at time limit, at dapat sa Bus Lane lang ang

mga Bus.

Pagiimplement ng CCTV monitoring with Media information campaign sa mga procedures, malayo na ang 3 months, we will have an educated, disciplined motorist and commuters. Of course we need to improve our mass Transport system. We need more elevated covered walkway in Ortigas Center, Cubao, and other Commercial Business District. More elevated or underground road network.

IV. Importance of Elevated Parking Space:

Ang Bottle neck sa umaga ay sa mga Business Commercial District (BCD sa Ayala Center, Ortigas Center etc.) ay ang pagbagal sa pag park. Ganon din sa mga Malls lalo na pag may sale, ang bottle neck ay sa pagpunta sa parking building. We need to install elevated parking space na mabilis ang pag park before entering the BCD area, then ihahatid ang mga car driver and passenger by e-trike to their offices. Example; Cars from North entering Ayala BCD, we will put up elevated Car Park in EDSA cor. Buendia and Ayala, at from Manila sa Ayala near Fire station and Buendia cor. Omen Hiway and Don Bosco area, malaking kabawasan inside BCD area.  Ganon din sa Malls, ex; Megamall &Ortigas BCD, from Pasig, mag install ng multiple elevated parking space sa may MMDA impounding area, doon sila magpapark at ihahatid sa destination to Ortigas BCD, hindi na papasok ang mga cars to BCD, luluwag sa umaga at lalo na sa hapon on their way back home. One advantage of elevated Parking ay naiwasan natin ang Bukas kotse at carnapping.

Sa mga MRT/LRT station, bigyan ng express lane sa pagsakay sa train ang car owner na nag park as elevated parking space. Para ma encourage silang iiwan ang sasakyan sa mga Train Station. Then pagdating sa Destination like Ayala station, may maghahatid sa kanila going to their offices within the BCD.

Ang elevated Parking land space requirements, is only approx. 22-24m2 for 17 to 51 Cars at angtime to park is only less than one minute for each car. . Marami pang dapat gawin associated with what I write here.Ang solusyon needs a lot of Common sense, discipline, implementation & enforcement of laws and planning.

V. Additional restriction for road safety.

1) Driver for public utility vehicle, trucks and delivery panel must be above 35 years old with a minimum of 5 years driving experiece.

2) Huwag iwanan na  hindi sinemento ang mga hinuhukay na kalsada lalo na sa mga busy street.

3) Dagdagan ng mga reflectorized signage ang mga street barriers at road repair area.

4) Dagdagan ng mga ilaw ang mga PUJ at gilid ng mga trucks.

5) Speed limit @ 60kph for light vehicles & 40kph for heavy vehicles along EDSA at C-5 and other main street.

VI. Other Matters:

1) Ibalik sa Gobyerno ang garbage collection at maglagay ng malalaking garbage bin na pagtatapunan ng mga basura anytime of the day para maiwasan na kung saan saan na lang tinatapon pag Hindi makatiyempo sa pag daan ng garbage truck, ang iba sa estero na tinatapon. Kung may garbage bin for every 50-100 meters sa crowded community. Mas mabilis ang garbage collection ng truck kaysa present set up na naghahabol ang mga residente at tauhan ng truck at madalas nagkakalat sa kalye. Garbage collection ng truck dapat sa gabi from 9pm to 5am.

2) Ang paglilinis ng estero or creek dapat by small suction dredger not backhoe barge. Using suction dredger puwedeng isabay ang pagpi filter ng tubig sa creek para magingmalinis at malinaw na kaaya ayang tingnan at habitable. Pag malinaw na ang tubig madaling mamonitor kung saan galing na factory or lugar na pinanggalingan ng maruming tubig or liquid na matatawag na waste materials. Ang ultimate goal ng pagdi dredge is to see to it na ang tubig sa estero or creek ay free flowing. Crisis level ang situation ng Metro Manila creeks. It is health hazard and causes Metro Manila perrenial flooding. Ang estero at ilog and siyang main drainage outlet na Hindi naalagaan regularly. Ang ultimate cause that blocks the free flowing of water during heavy rain ay nasa river mouth due to siltation na dapat idredge regularly.

3)  Squatter relocation dapat within or near the area where they are residing now. Build a 4 storey tenement type of housing similar to Sec. Jolly Benitez project. Kayang ihouse sa 500 m2 land area ang umuokupang 1 hectare of Government land. By doing it, they regain their dignity at hindi sila napapalayo sa kanilang trabaho at sa school ng mga bata. Pero iqualfy ang magiging recipient sahousing. Pag walang trabaho or walang qualification para makapag trabaho sa vicinity at pasaway sa community dapat ibalik probinsiya na lang.

VII. ELEVATED PARKING SPACE

(Note: A photo of an elevated parking space was placed here)

Thanks and best regards,

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