QC gov't applies band aid solution to traffic mess

MANILA, Philippines - Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Friday said that the city government will implement "band aid" solutions to ease traffic in the city and complement the banning of colorum passenger buses in Manila.

Bautista said in a radio interview that he has directed city officials to look for alternative routes that may be used by passenger buses from Quezon City going to Manila.

"Pinapahanapan ko ang city planning at traffic management department ng alternative route that will be permanent tulad ng Mabuhay, Christmas lanes etcetera so that this will become a permanent route for commuters and vehicles within Quezon City," Bautista said.

He said the new traffic scheme of Manila has really caused traffic snarls in the boundaries of the cities.

"Isa sa mga observations dun napaluwag ng Quezon Boulevard tapos pagdating dun sa may rotonda , imbudo na 'yan dahil two lanes na lang ang pumapasok sa kanila... Talagang sumikip sya bigla from six to two to three lanes, sa volume na nanggagaling sa Quezon City, pagpasok dun talaga sisikip," Bautista noted.

Aside from the alternative routes into Manila, Bautista said he will also propose to the Department of Public Works and Highways to widen the road in that portion.

"Nung tinignan namin yung kalye kanina may space pa para mag-road widen sa portion paglampas ng P. Tuazon, paglampas ng gasoline station at saka pagpalampas ng isang food chain puwede pang mag-road widen dun ang DPWH," he said.

The mayor said he has already coordinated with Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino to deploy additional traffic enforcers in the area.

"We coordinated closely with MMDA nakausap ko na si Chairman kanina on my way to another appointment and sabi nya upuan agad natin yan mag o augment ng mga traffic enforcers on Monday para yung deployment nyan hindi maantala this week kasi nabigla tayong lahat this week," he said.

Bautista said he has yet to talk with Mayor Joseph Estrada regarding the new traffic scheme, noting that he, along with the Pasay city government, wants to give it a chance.

"Well, ang hinihintay ko kasi , katulad ni Pasay, ni Mayor Calixto (Cataquiz). We have to test it kasi, baka naman effective yung programa ni Mayor Erap. Eh 'di gawin natin, panoorin muna natin s'ya. In the meantime itong mga band aid solutions because of what happened to Manila, yun muna ang ina-apply po namin," he said.