Traffic congestion cost Phl P137 billion last year

MANILA, Philippines - With economic losses from traffic congestion reaching P137.5 billion last year, the government is launching several infrastructure projects, including modernizing and expanding the country’s rail system to make commuters depend less on road transport.

In his opening address at the 2012 Philippine Energy & Infrastructure Business Meeting, Transportation Undersecretary Rene Limcaoco said the projects being readied – once completed – would greatly help decongest roads and reduce transport costs.

“This drives home a strong point for us in the government,” Limcaoco said, referring to the huge economic cost of traffic congestion as shown in a study published by the National Center for Transportation Studies.

He said there is a need to improve the country’s railway system to entice more Filipinos to use the mass transit system.

He said only four percent of Filipinos use the railway system compared to 32 percent in South Korea, 30 percent in New York, and 20 percent in London.

Rail projects in the pipeline include the Light Rail Transit 1 extension from Baclaran to Cavite, as well as the LRT extension from Santolan along EDSA to Masinag Junction in Antipolo.

He said losses over the past 11 years in terms of productivity have reached P1.5 trillion. Fuel losses, meanwhile, reached P4.5 billion.

The losses may even be higher since the NCTS study covers only five groups – government officials, professionals, technicians, clerical workers, and service workers.

Limcaoco also revealed that the Department of Transportation and Communications is set to bid out a P1.7-billion contract for an automated fare collection system to replace the current magnetic stripe being used in LRT1, LRT2, and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3.

Another project to help decongest traffic, Limcaoco said, is an integrated transport system involving the construction of two bus terminals in the south and one terminal in the north. He said about 8,000 provincial buses enter Metro Manila every day.

The project, he added, would be undertaken jointly with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

Other infrastructure projects being undertaken are the P10.2-billion Mactan-Cebu International Airport, P7.4-billion new Bohol Airport, P4.5-billion Puerto Princesa Airport, P4.7-billion Bicol International Airport, P7.9-billion Laguindingan Airport, P7.9- billion Tacloban Airport, and Clark International Airport.