MMDA: Open university scheme will help reduce traffic

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Wednesday proposed the adoption of the distance learning system or "open university" scheme among universities and colleges in Metro Manila in a bid to reduce commuter and vehicular traffic volume in major thoroughfares.

MMDA chairma Francis Tolentino said homeschooling program allows students to study at the comfort of their homes and at their own time while not adding up to the traffic congestion in the streets.

"I suggest that more school institutions in Metro Manila adopt this open university system as a traffic-alleviating measure. Our objective here is to reduce the number of students going out in the streets, especially during rush hours," Tolentino said.

At the same time, the school management may also opt to transfer some of their students to their offsite or satellite campuses to lessen their student population in Metro Manila, Tolentino added.

He said that students living near these satellite campuses, mostly located in the provinces, will greatly benefit from this system while helping reduce traffic congestion in the metropolis.

Some of the schools that have offsite campuses are the University of the Philippines, Lyceum of the Philippines,  Mapua Institute of Science and Technology, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Technological University of the Philippines, Centro Escolar University, among others. The University of Sto. Tomas is set to open its new campus in General Santos City.         

There are 436 state universities and colleges in the Philippines, including satellite campuses.

"Offsite campuses will help decongest student population in Metro Manila which, in turn, will redound to lesser volume of commuter, pedestrian, and vehicular volume in our road networks," Tolentino added.

Tolentino made his proposals in the light of the impending construction of 16 traffic infrastructure projects in the metropolis in the coming weeks, which is expected to cause serious traffic problems.

The construction of Skyway Stage 3 will start on February 17, and will cut across the vicinities of 23 universities and colleges and several private and public elementary and secondary schools along its path from Gil Puyat Avenue in Makati City to Balintawak, Quezon City.

Apart from Skyway Stage 3, 15 other infrastructure projects are lined up for construction, among which are the following:
1.     NAIA Expressway Phase 2
2.     Gil Puyat-Makati-Avenue-Paseo de Roxas underpass
3.     Sta. Monica-Lawton Avenue bridge
4.     CP Garcia Avenue-McKinley Hill ramp
5.     Repair and asphalt overlay of Magallanes Interchange
6.     Edsa-Taft Avenue flyover
7.     MRT Line 3/ LRT Line 1 extension common station
8.     LRT Line 2 East extension up to Masinag
9.     LRT Line 1 Extension (Cavite)
10.   Edsa-Roosevelt Ave. interchange
11.   Espana Avenue-Lacson Avenue interchange
12.   Repair/rehabilitation and improvement of South Superhighway Makati
13.   NLEX-SLEX connector road above the PNR alignment
14.   Edsa-West Avenue-North Avenue interchange