Ferry Cross The ‘Messy’

I was all of 9 years old when a British band went to the top of the charts in both the US and the UK with a simple song entitled “Ferry Cross The Mersey.” It was all about getting around by going on the “Ferry Cross The Mersey.” Even at 9 years old I latched on to the tune maybe because it was very different from the “Kano” songs of Elvis or because I was becoming aware of the British invasion.  Forty-eight years later I come to remember the song in search of a title for today’s column.

Thanks to several of our readers who’ve emailed: Ankur, TonyC, Ross, Richard-J, and Gani, today’s article starts out on the need to seriously develop our “river ferry system” as well as a better “train system” that is designed to shift mobility from vehicle based to mass based transport. While I laud any serious attempts of the PPP Center, the DPWH, DOTC and TRB and Malacañang to interconnect our highways and improve existing ones, all the work of the P-Noy administration will be obsolete in 5 or 10 years as more and more condominiums rise, along with them vehicle sales that will once again clog our roads in no time.

Yes we could reconsider the call for “culling” old vehicles as car manufacturers have espoused, but taking away one privilege in order to serve another never works and never flies. We could restrain car sales through additional taxes but manufacturers will certainly go up in arms. So it’s a no win proposition. Why not do a serious all-out study on developing a real river ferry system and a logical and practical train system that will result in less traffic and more mobility? As our readers have suggested the idea should be about alternative solutions that don’t require more roads and more vehicles and more traffic. If we reduce the road volume, even car owners and makers ought to be a happy lot.

At the height of the so-called truck holiday of cargo movers, a lot of ideas popped up on how to address the congestion in the City of Manila, while considering the commercial and operational concerns of importers, shippers and logistics companies. One credible suggestion that was backed by real data came from Congressman Raneo Abu of the second district of Batangas City. Abu’s proposal was to move the 66% volume of cargo that goes through the port of Manila but is intended for the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon provinces. In his breakdown Abu stated that of the total number of containers intended for Calabarzon, 8% is for Cavite, 15% is for Batangas and 43% is for Laguna. What they all have in common is the presence of waterways and seaports. Common to all is the Batangas City port that is currently underutilized which is highly suspicious given the practicality and economics.

Why should nearly 200,000 containers pass through Metro Manila if they can go via Batangas City Port? Why burden and clogged up the streets of Metro Manila when the provinces of Batangas, Laguna and Cavite all have excellent roadways such as the STAR Tollways and the SLEX, both designed for movement of cargo trucks and containers? The answer dear readers is because there is a Mafia or at least a cartel that has forever controlled the business of moving the goods, and any major changes such as redirecting or diverting ships to the Batangas City Port will redefine the business of trucking, cargo handling and brokerage. For decades, the mafia at the ports of Manila has monopolized the businesses and the industry pertaining to shipping and logistics. That is why “government” is afraid to undertake a major move. “Kahit sa Tuwid na daan, takot din sila.” No, this has nothing to do with Malacañang, just every administration’s failure to realize and to break up the cartel.

The other day, I watched an interview of Secretary Jun Abaya on DZMM hosted by my former colleagues Alvin Elchico and Doris Bigornia. I sent in a question asking why the government has not seriously looked into putting in a “Cargo Train System” where container vans and the likes can be loaded, hauled out of the piers to a depot where trucks would have more room to operate,  without causing traffic nightmares. The gist of Secretary Abaya’s reply was someone thought about it but it did not seem feasible or workable. While I found Secretary Abaya’s performance in the interview good, his answer to the question was the equivalent of throwing away good bread. At the very least he should have said let me look into that idea because some of the crazy ideas are the ones that have actually redefined business and commerce on the planet. Actually it’s not such a bad idea considering it exists in many countries around the world. Jurassic government officials simply don’t want to develop a train or a ferry system.

Let’s not think small time and cute in terms of a system. Not just a dozen or half of that for ferries. We should have multiple lines at various points whether along Manila Bay for Cavite or through the Pasig River to cover Laguna, Rizal, and Manila. Most important of all, P-Noy and company should not limit their vision and objectives to what can be finished by 2016 or within his administration. Projects by themselves do not immortalize politicians and leaders. People remember the visionary, the action-oriented, leader who sets into place ideas and solutions that stay on and live on long after them. Ninoy Aquino is revered for his self-sacrifice; Cory Aquino is remembered for her strength of character and deep concern for the Filipino people.

P-Noy has shown himself as a visionary who believed that the battle against corruption can be won. P-Noy is appreciated for a simple act: removing the “wang-wang” from our streets to an appreciable extent. P-Noy’s Bosses are suggesting something different, something bigger, something equal to the PPP which is now beginning to bear fruit, but like the PPP, trains and ferries require vision, understanding based on the global experience and above all resolute patience to see it through because in time the people will give honor where honor is due.

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A short note to the SLEX/ Skyway people who reportedly lowered their price for their Epass module from P1,900 to P900. Great move, but now readers are suggesting just give it for free or tack on a small diminishing fee for the gadget because the faster the cars pass through, the better for business on the SLEX and Skyway it will be. Less traffic more business.

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