Long term vision

If you have been following our Backseat Driver column for the past few weeks, you‘d probably notice that a lot of our readers who text their reactions are in favor of MMDA Chairman Bayani "BF" Fernando’s performance. I have nothing against the good Chairman, or the MMDA for that matter, and I wish him luck on his quixotic quest to bring some order to Metro Manila’s chaotic traffic. But if I were to rate Chairman Fernando’s performance, I’d give him an A for Effort, a C- for Effectiveness and an F for Vision.

Let me explain.

I’ve gone on a road trip from Aparri to Saranggani on a BMW motorcycle with the BMW Owners Society of Saferiders (BOSS) from May 14 to 22 and spent a lot of time on our roads observing the local driving practices and traffic conditions from Northern Luzon to Southern Mindanao, adding to the observations I’ve gathered in my 22 years of driving around the country. I’ve also gone on a whirlwind tour of Nagoya, Kyoto and Tokyo in Japan with Toyota from May 26 to 31 which allowed me to view Japanese driving practices and traffic conditions in and around these cities. I was fortunate to travel in Japan with retired General Antonio Abaya, who commanded the Philippine Constabulary Highway Patrol Group when former President Fidel Ramos was the head of the PC, and the highly educated General shared with me some of his insights regarding traffic management. So you could say that I’ve done some historical, current and actual research while I was touring.

Now, let’s get back to my rating of Chairman Fernando, or BF for short.

I give him an A, a high grade, for Effort because, whether we like it or not, the guy is trying. He has tried to experiment with U-turn schemes, traffic re-routing, pink traffic signs, amended and modified vehicular volume reduction schemes, yellow bus lanes, no-contact traffic violators’ apprehension, wet-towel penalties for jaywalkers, pink urinals, pink-and-blue handicapped-unfriendly pedestrian overpasses, PUV terminals at Magallanes and at North EDSA and lately, the dreadful and hated pink fences of EDSA. BF has done almost everything short of herding the motorists and pedestrians like cattle in pursuit of improving Metro Manila’s traffic condition.

Unfortunately, in spite of his efforts, traffic is still lousy, except for one particular day when one of our readers reported that traffic was very light everywhere. It was May 2, Monday, and traffic was indeed very light because it was a holiday, with May 1 Labor Day falling on a Sunday. Our dear reader must be jesting.

That’s why I give BF a C-, a poor grade, for Effectiveness. Effort is worthless if it’s not effective, and all the work done by MMDA is worthless if traffic remains at a standstill during peak hours and slows to a crawl beyond rush hours. BF is but one man and even though he has able deputies working for him, their combined efforts fall to naught when down the line, their MMDA traffic enforcers do not do their jobs. It may be an ignorance of traffic laws, lack of proper training and equipment, lack of moral authority, lack of guts, sheer laziness, arrogance or plain stupidity, but the MMDA traffic enforcers are the bane of BF’s efforts, not to mention his own seeming ignorance of his men’s ineffectiveness.

These MMDA traffic enforcers are as effective at traffic management as the traffic lights on intersections closed by their U-Turn scheme, which is a nicer way of saying that they are close to inutile. They do not apprehend bus drivers who load and unload passengers in the middle of the street, even outside of the yellow bus lanes on EDSA during rush hour. They look the other way when bus drivers drive outside of the bus lanes yet they flag down private motorists who wander into the yellow lanes. They are more concentrated at looking at the endings of license plate numbers to enforce that ineffective vehicle coding or volume reduction scheme than they are at accosting traffic violators. They stagnate on street corners and intersections, unaware of the bottleneck caused by vehicles making a U-turn at the traffic opening in the middle of the block. They do not apprehend tricycles and pedicabs that ply the main roads even when a sign clearly states that these vehicles are banned on those roads. They do not apprehend jeepney drivers who block an intersection by using the street corner as their terminal nor do they accost taxi drivers who clog one lane of the access road from EDSA to Quezon Avenue while waiting for passengers alighting from the MRT station. I could go on, but you already get the point — they are generally ineffective, and their uselessness reflects on BF’s overall efforts.

And that is why I give our favorite Bayani a failing grade, an F for Vision. Traffic in our country did not deteriorate just because of the increase in vehicle population on the road — it deteriorated because of the road conditions and the lack of planning, construction, and probably funding due to graft and corruption, to create more roads. Traffic chaos escalated not only because of the lack of driver education, but more so because of the lack of general discipline brought about by the lack of effective traffic law enforcement. Unfortunately, what the MMDA has done so far is to react to these problems instead of formulating a long term solution that could be applied not only to Metro Manila but to the rest of the country as well.

BF botched an opportunity when he relinquished his dual post as the head of the Department of Public Works and Highways due to mounting pressures from envious politicians. He could have consolidated traffic management and road construction under his command and he could have institutionalized this consolidation for the next generation. Imagine, traffic analysts could predict vehicle volume from population records and car sales records and the DPWH could outline plans for the construction of additional roads that could actually improve traffic flow, including elevated roads like those that crisscross the skyline of major Japanese cities. He could have commissioned the construction of high-speed train lines and interstate highways that could connect Metro Manila more effectively to neighboring provinces so people can live in the provinces and work in the city, thus decongesting the metropolis. He could organize and regulate bus routes and build inner city train lines, including the PNR, MRT and LRT lines, outlaw tricycles, pedicabs and jeepneys in the cities and regulate them in the countryside, and professionalize taxi, bus and train operations to improve overall transportation system not only in Metro Manila but in other major cities as well. And he could have created real jobs from the construction, maintenance and repairs of these transport systems, and improved the economic conditions of low income earners on top of improving the transportation needs of the common Filipino and easing traffic congestion in major cities around the country.

Had he excelled in doing this, BF could have gone for the consolidation of the MMDA, LTO and the LTFRB with the DPWH and created the Department of Land Transportation (DOLT) separate from the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) so that transport regulation, driver education and traffic management and planning, including road construction, would fall under one roof. By doing so, he could ensure that drivers really get the proper education and that tests are actually given before drivers licenses are issued, that driving violations are dealt with effectively, that private and public vehicles comply with the law before they are allowed on the roads and that effective traffic enforcement would be professionalized. General traffic discipline could have been restored with these actions, as well as the strict implementation of the Clean Air Act and the streamlining of land transportation functions.

To ensure good relationship with the local mayors and governors, he could have planned traffic autonomy for local government units, with each city having their own DOLT-trained, PNP-accredited traffic enforcement units and respective traffic courts. BF could also have maintained an elite national traffic enforcement unit like the federal state troopers of American highways. This way, LGUs will manage the traffic in their respective areas, and BF could concentrate on coordinating the overall national transportation requirements and recommend budget cuts or increases for each LGU based on their performance, as appraised by the national troopers. He could even request the re-direction of the local congressman’s pork barrel to fund actual road construction to support the growth of towns and provinces, instead of the funds being wasted by the local solon in some questionable ghost road rehabilitation or lame beautification project.

BF could have professionalized the ranks of traffic enforcers, public utility vehicle drivers, public works construction workers, repairmen and maintenance men and regulated their work environments, including their salary scales, to instill pride in their work and professionalism in the performance of their duties. He could even have formed a sanitary police force to arrest people who indiscriminately throw garbage, litter the rivers and esteros, and violate sanitation regulations. Had he done all of these, provided he could get the funding from our crumbling national budget and provided he wouldn’t succumb to graft and corruption (or worst, egocentricity), he could have uplifted the country from further moral and environmental deterioration and could even run for President after GMA’s term, if she relinquishes power in 2010.

But what could have been was not. Bayani Fernando could have done more, given the strong support he gets from the President, yet he seems to contend himself with the accolades and the bricks thrown at him for doing what he thinks is best as MMDA Chairman.

The debate rages on! Backseat Drivers all over just couldn’t stop putting in their two cents worth on traffic-related matters last week…

Mayor Atienza, please solve the traffic problem areas in Manila. We need more parking spaces, not more parks. — 09176051987

Atienza, Binay, Locsin, Abalos and Trinidad must have chaos in our streets for them to thrive. Viva BF! — 09159956370

Chairman Fernando should be commended — not condemned — for his efforts to improve Metro Manila’s monstrous traffic. — 09208903281

Chairman Bayani’s projects may not all be perfect but at least they are all practical and workable. — 09283894997

What we need in the Philippines is the Fernando style of management — innovation with action. — 09176214523

The Remedios area in Malate is losing its streets to cafés and restos using street parking for their extended al fresco cafés. — 09178508132

Hoards of vendors at Divisoria are peddling in the middle of the streets, causing monstrous traffic jams. What’s up, Mayor Atienza? — 09173221971

Mayor Atienza, please look into the traffic situation along Taft Avenue. Bus and jeepney drivers are unruly, particularly along PGH. — 09178133198

Something should be done about the reckless driving in the Quezon Memorial Circle. Perhaps a media campaign to educate drivers? — 09178179008

Your weekly MOTORING SECTION and WHEELS MONTHLY featuring cars’ comparative analysis is indeed informative for car enthusiasts. — 09107219740

Saludo ako kay Bayani Fernando! — 09174564053

MMDA/LTFRB, kindly tell these jeepney drivers that they’re supposed to use headlights at night. — 09154373691

Chairman Bayani Fernando’s programs are not perfect so he needs to listen to some suggestions, but at least he has the vision we badly need. — 09175337998

Chairman Fernando has strong political will and his devotion to his job is commendable. — 09165284599

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