‘Back to school, back to traffic’

MANILA, Philippines — Expect “carmageddon” in the metropolis as classes start tomorrow, according to the main agency in charge of traffic management, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago told “The Chiefs” on Cignal TV’s One News channel on Friday night that motorists should expect heavy traffic during the opening of classes. 

“(It’s) back to reality. We don’t want to sugarcoat things … but we have to be honest kapag nagsimula na ang klase ay bibigat po talaga (traffic),” Pialago said. 

Asked if she was referring to “carmageddon,” Pialago said, “yes.” 

But Pialago assured the public that the MMDA is prepared to address the expected heavy traffic with the deployment of more than 100 additional traffic enforcers. 

She said that the new enforcers have recently finished their training with the MMDA. 

Pialago said that they have also coordinated with the local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila to help them address the traffic problem, as they will open alternate routes outside EDSA. 

“We’ve been clearing Katipunan, Greenhills area because those are prestigious schools. The statistics is one student, one car and every year there is an increase of enrollees,” Pialago said. 

The operator of North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) is now prepared to accommodate the expected big volume of motorists coming home to Metro Manila for the opening of schools on June 4.

In an advisory, the company said all traffic and toll collection management plans are in place at the NLEX and SCTEX on June 3, 10, and 17 as classes in different schools in Metro Manila are expected to open either June 4, 13, or 18.

Working hours will be extended by NLEX-SCTEX Traffic Operations, which will also intensify patrol coverage while additional traffic personnel will be fielded and closely monitor traffic at all interchanges and stretches of the entire length of the expressways.

Major toll plazas in Balintawak, Mindanao Avenue, Bocaue, Tarlac and Tipo will be monitored intensively.

NLEX Corp. will beef up its capacity from the usual 30 collection points to 40 on the Saturday afternoons of June 2, 9, and 16 and on Sunday afternoons of June 3, 10, and 17 at the Bocaue Toll Plaza when traffic is heaviest, and will be provided with 50 collection points.

Public elementary and high schools nationwide are all set for the opening of classes tomorrow, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).

“I would like to say and announce to assure everyone that we are all ready. We have been spending the first months of the year making assessments and preparing for this school year,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said.

Education Undersecretary Jesus Mateo said almost all of the 46,815 public schools nationwide are classified as “ready” or “nearly ready” based on the school readiness assessment conducted prior to the opening of classes.

The variables assessed by DepEd include teachers, classrooms, toilets, seats, water supply and electrical supply.

He said a school is classified as “ready” if it has complied with five to six variables, while it is “nearly ready” if it is ready in at least four variables.

In another development, Pialago said that the traffic problem in the metropolis has gotten even worst as the number of vehicles continues to increase over the years. 

Currently, she said that the number of vehicles using EDSA has increased by 25 percent from the normal 6,000 per lane, per direction and per hour to about 7,500 per lane, per direction and per hour. 

She also said that EDSA’s carrying capacity has increased by 45.5 percent from the normal 275,000 per day to the current 400,000. The average of 25 stalled vehicles also contributed to the traffic problem on EDSA. 

Pialago has attributed the sudden increase of vehicles to the emergence of the Transport Network Companies (TNCs) like Grab and the new companies that are operating in Metro Manila. 

She said that motorists would heave a sigh of relief in 2019 to 2022 when the government’s infrastructure projects under the “Build, Build, Build” program would be completed.  – With Janvic Mateo, Ramon Efren Lazaro