Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the traffic situation in the Philippines “stemmed from decades of neglect, particularly in the National Capital Region (NCR)”.
The secretary admitted that it is something that must be immediately addressed.
“This problem cannot be solved with one solution alone. This cannot be addressed in a single year either,” he added.
While the executive department’s request for an emergency power is pending, Andanar said they created the Inter-Agency Council on Traffic or i-ACT composed of different agencies.
This is the closest thing to a single traffic authority to address the traffic problems in the NCR, which must be done with unity and inter-agency cooperation, he said.
He also noted that Task Force Alamid of the i-ACT conducts rigorous road clearing operations everyday to clear sidewalks and Mabuhay lanes of obstructions to ensure that road space for vehicles are sufficient.
The government also put up a 14 point-to-point (P2P) bus routes including Cavite and Clark, with around 150 bus units.
Similar system is also being organized so that P2P buses could ply Pangasinan, Zambales, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Andanar said, noting they see the P2P concept as one of the solutions to the major gridlock in Metro Manila.
For the medium- and long-term, the administration proposed a Build-Build-Build Infrastructure Plan to reduce congestion and improve the traffic flow in the country.
