Senator Loren Legarda on Sunday challenged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to outline a definitive national vision for mobility and sustainability as she recently examined the agency’s proposed 2026 budget.
Congestion in Metro Manila, she argued, reflects longstanding policies that placed private vehicles at the center of transport planning.
“Travel times are reaching 25.5 minutes per 10 kilometers in 2023, and daily economic losses are estimated at ₱3.5 billion, projected to rise to ₱5.4 billion by 2035,” Legarda lamented.
“Filipino commuters often spend excessive time and money just reaching MRT and LRT stations due to broken sidewalks, disconnected bike lanes, unreliable feeder services, and fragmented land use planning,” the senator added.
The first mile and last mile problem, according to Legarda, traps ordinary travelers in inefficient routines that undermine productivity and quality of life.
A more coherent approach, she added, would reduce daily travel burdens and create a safer, more predictable commuting environment.
One such approach is to push for the Urban Walkability and Safe Pathways Standards Act, which aims to standardize and expand active transport infrastructure nationwide.
“These networks must consist of bicycle lanes that are protected and accessible, pedestrian walkways that are wide, continuous, and shaded, and slow streets that prioritize non-motorized users,” Legarda outlined.
“These are public areas. It should belong to the people, not just those who can afford vehicles. And when we make it safe and accessible, then more people would ride bikes, would even walk, which is healthier,” the senator said.
