How do we fix our transport crisis? Let’s begin with two policies
On Jan. 10, 2023, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista testified before the House of Representatives Committee on Transportation regarding the New Year’s Day shutdown at Ninoy Aquino International Airport and several airports.
“We hope to convey to our honorable lawmakers and to the riding public, that we are committed in coming up with permanent solutions to recurring problems affecting passengers and commuters,” is what Secretary Bautista said on public record.
It’s interesting to note that a single day of the airport shutdown triggered an immediate hearing in the House of Representatives. However, there is scant interest in resolving a recurring nightmare: the everyday hellish commute of people who ride public transportation, which is the backbone of a shambolic transportation system costing the Philippine economy billions daily in lost productivity and lowering the quality of life of our commuters.
The transport crisis that we face is complex. Still, it is possible to reform our public transport system, as the experience of the Move As One Coalition has shown.
Since the formation of the Coalition in 2020, it has gained public support from more than 140 civil society organizations and 77,000 individuals from different sectors, all united by the belief that systemic reforms are necessary to create a safe, humane, and inclusive public transportation system in the country.
The Coalition has scored many significant wins:
- 3 billion has been sourced for active transport, service contracting, social support and just transition for transport workers, and better bus systems from 2020 to 2023;
- 564 kilometers of bicycle lanes have been built across the country;
- 19,141 transport workers have been engaged in the service contracting program;
- 25 active transport and road-based public transport projects are now on the 2023 Infrastructure Flagship Projects list;
- a P750-billion target is now stated in the Public Investment Program (2023 to 2028) for active transportation, bus rapid transit, PUV modernization, and service contracting; and
- a 36% increase in cycling households is targeted by the Philippine Development Plan (2023-2028).
There is still, however, much more work to be done to advance a Commuter’s Bill of Rights and Philippine Road Safety Action Plan (PRSAP) 2023-2028 that will transform the Filipino’s commuting experience and change the country’s highways of death into streets for life.
A commuter’s Bill of Rights
AltMobilityPH, together with the Office of then-Senator Kiko Pangilinan, filed “The Magna Carta of Dignified Commuting” on July 24, 2019. The Commuter Bill of Rights acknowledges that mobility is a right and aims to fill the gap in existing policies, programs, and projects by emphasizing the primary importance of persons—whether they travel by public transport, by private vehicle, by personal mobility devices, or by foot as pedestrians.
All transportation infrastructure must pass the lola/lolo test: If your grandparent can go through it without having a heart attack, then that is good infrastructure. We must design with Filipinos of all ages and abilities in mind and make it easy for those who are vulnerable on the road—such as the elderly, children, people with disabilities, cyclists, and pedestrians—to safely move through our cities.
All transportation infrastructure must pass the lola/lolo test: If your grandparent can go through it without having a heart attack, then that is good infrastructure.
This is one of the reasons why we want to make it a legal requirement for public officials and policymakers to take public transport regularly. Only if they experience our broken public transport system will they acquire a sense of urgency to fix it. When public officials take the bus or train, they will also save taxpayer money and gain the respect of the citizens that they claim or purport to serve.
We had little success in the 18th Congress, where hearings were held and numerous filed bills were being consolidated into one bill.
This 19th Congress, we ask Rep. Romeo Acop of Antipolo City 2nd District, Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, to urgently and immediately convene a subcommittee on Commuter Concerns in accordance with Rule IX, Section 29 of the House, or to prioritize a hearing to consolidate House Bill 2064 of Rep. Juan Fidel F. Nograles; House Bill 2705 of Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez and Rep. Jude Acidre; House Bill 2920 of Rep. Claudine Bautista-Lim; House Bill 4683 of Rep. Gus Tambunting; House Bill 4913 of Patrick Vargas; House Bill 5182 of Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte; House Bill 5192 of Rep. Patrick Vargas; House Bill 7591 of Rep. Baby Aline Vargas-Alfonso; and House Bill 5788 of Rep. Eduardo Villanueva
Commuters and pedestrians are the majority of our road users, and they are all voters, too. Isn’t it about time that their needs and concerns be addressed, too?
The Philippine Road Safety Action Plan 2023-2028
The PRSAP was launched on May 31, 2023 by the DoTr, at the confluence of the 7th UN Global Road Safety Week and National Road Safety Month.
We therefore appeal to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to make the PRSAP a significant part of national policy by mentioning it in the SONA and to order the reconstitution of the Inter-Agency Road Safety Committee as provided by Administrative Order 184, series of 2007. The president or Secretary Bautista can do this right now with their sole signature.
We likewise appeal to provincial governors and city mayors to constitute Road Safety Councils via ordinance within their respective jurisdictions, to gather data, recommend solutions, and involve all their stakeholders in the process of designing safer cities.
Even better would be the immediate enactment into law of the Philippine Transportation Safety Board so that road crashes can be thoroughly investigated, the guilty can be punished, unsafe roads can be rectified, and road deaths and injuries can be prevented.
#DontWaitParticipate and #PublicOfficeIsAPublicTrust
If we really want to fix things, we concerned citizens must be part of the effort. We can write our councilors to file local ordinances on Commuter Rights and Road Safety. We can be active members of our Local Development Councils.
Commuters and pedestrians are the majority of our road users, and they are all voters, too. Isn’t it about time that their needs and concerns be addressed, too?
Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives. The Constitution says so.
How many more Filipinos have to die in a preventable road crash until we the sovereign citizenry collectively say that enough is enough?