BAGUIO TRAFFIC – 5 SUGGESTIONS FOR A PERMANENT SOLUTION – The Manila traffic is simply unbearable, and if I may also say, unjustified.
I don’t buy this idea that there are just too many cars in the road. Most of them I have noticed that cause traffic in Manila takes root in lack of discipline and inconsiderateness of drivers. The “drivers’” attitude that they are superior and that only they have a right to their time and to hell with fellow drivers – that to my mind is the pervasive attitude and unless drastically changed will only make the traffic situation in Manila worse.
Baguio, unfortunately, has both, the bad driving attitude and the lack of imagination and justification of the persons in charge of traffic management and solution. What do I mean? We have been witness to the very bad traffic at last years’ events. Same time this year onwards up to summer will give us a taste of Manila traffic unless as I said, the traffic managers have the will, the imagination and common sense for it not to happen.
Herewith are my humble suggestions:
[1] Look at the Makati city model, wherein most roads at the Salcedo and Legaspi villages are one way traffic. Any driver will tell you that it is better to drive a longer route for as long as it is continuous and without and/or less traffic.
[2] Designate free parking areas along Marcos Hi-way, Kennon and Naguillan Roads (the 3 major roads entering the city). Locations of the parking areas should be before or very near the city boundaries. These free parking areas should have 24 hours shuttle service (for hire-paid shuttle of course). This will encourage visitors to leave their vehicles at peak hours of the day and take a shuttle.
[3] Strict implementation of traffic laws both for private and public vehicles, walang palakasan, regardless of who owns the vehicle, tiketan at multahan, ke sino ka pa!
[4] Strict implementation of no parking streets (zones) to include minor road tributaries and side roads. I say strictly implement this and impound motor vehicles who insist on parking their cars along the roads -these car owners who do not have their own private parking and insist on making the streets as their private parking. This alone will be a big help in traffic flow. Although, among the 4 suggestions made so far, this one is the toughest and the one that needs the most political will to implement.
[5] Immediate construction of above and/or underground parking, to hell with the kontrabidas who cite that a multi level parking building will ruin the city’s landscape etc…, blah! Blah! Blah! In the first place what city landscape are they referring to that will be ruined? It has long been ruined already. But immediate problems need solutions and it does not take a genius to figure out that the city lacks parking spaces.
Now, after these 5 suggestions have been strictly implemented, I am almost certain that traffic will be a thing of the past. I don’t believe we need some master traffic planner etc…., with a fucking Masters or PHD from whatever country abroad to solve traffic. As I said and will say it again, these are what is needed- Imagination, Common Sense and Political Will; otherwise, it is business as usual for the Pinoys which is NAGLOLOKOHAN LANG TAYO!!!
As a further suggestion, whoever should be the traffic zcar, if that is the title of the traffic solver, this person, should be from the private sector, should not have any political agenda and/or affiliation, this person should simply have a deep love for the City and want to solve the traffic problem. Put a politician for this position and there you have it, here we go again, lets’ waste time, money and engage in an endless but meaningless photo-ops!!!
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NOGNOG– I am sure you have seen the ads of VP Binay, the Nognog ad. The first time I saw this, I was in awe. I told myself, fantastic, a stroke of genius, ang galing, wala ako masabi, saludo ako. I would imagine this ad definitely touches a sensitive chord(s) with the masses and even those up to the C bracket –demographic. At the end of the ad, it says, “sino pa ba ang mag-tutulungan kung hindi mga Nognog?” But prior to that it defines who are the nognogs. Ang galing, tunay, bilib ako, I hope to be able to meet the creator(s) of this ad. Remember, when they tried to throw everything against former Prez Erap and they made such entertaining lines about his carabao English and to date those lines are now classics. I’d like to see, perhaps some Nognog jokes. Thanks to our Pinoy style, the so-called political correctness and racism lines in relation to political campaigns are non-existent. I can just imagine the regret of the bright boys at the LP who taught of attacking and mocking the VP with that Nognog critique – the guys at the VP Camp are certainly having the last laugh.
