THIS summer, with the scorching heat in 30s Celsius, we see yet again challenges to the never-ending vehicular traffic in Metro Manila, where 14.9 million people live.
The challenges include high vehicle density, poor road infrastructure, and inefficient public transport, leading to congestion, air pollution, and economic losses.
A strong reliance on private vehicles, propelled by a lack of good public transportation, reinforces the problem.
The national capital region is significantly challenged by a high number of vehicles on its roads, coupled with limited road capacity and infrastructure, leading to frequent traffic jams.
At the same time, the lack of efficient and reliable public transportation options forces many to rely on private vehicles, further aggravating the barbarous traffic gridlock, not helped any by poor traffic management practices, including inadequate traffic flow control and enforcement.
Earlier this year, the Management Association of the Philippines called on the government to declare a “state of calamity” in Metro Manila due to the worsening traffic congestion which costs the economy an estimated P3.5 billion in losses daily.
Metro Manila’s rapid population growth, pegged at 1.74 percent in 2022 when the capital’s population was only 13.4 million, and urbanization strain the existing infrastructure and contribute to increased traffic.
Traffic jams, air pollution and inadequate infrastructure for public transport are some of the significant challenges that continue to plague the sector. This puts a strain on businesses, threatening their efficiency, productivity, and profitability.
A study by a UK financial services platform early this year ranked the Philippines among the top 10 countries with the “worst quality roads.” With a score of 44.8/100 determining the quality of road infrastructure, the Philippines places eighth, just between Argentina and Iran.
Poor road quality and inadequate maintenance further worsen traffic flow and contribute to accidents.
Even within the city center itself, Manila ranks poorly, with a travel time of 27 minutes and 20 seconds to cover 10 kilometers. Motorists in Metro Manila spend nearly half of their annual driving hours (117 out of 240) stuck in traffic.
Among Southeast Asian urbanized cities, Metro Manila has the worst traffic record, with Taichung in Taiwan ranking second worst.
The Metro Manila Development Authority says an average of 417,000 vehicles had passed through EDSA as of the end of November 2022.
This figure is already higher than the 405,000-vehicle average pre-pandemic, and it is only expected to increase by up to 20 percent, or 430,000 vehicles daily, during the holiday season.