EDITORIAL - Yes, it’s fatal

He backpedaled immediately and issued a public apology the next day, but the damage had been done: Transport Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya – and the administration that he works for – reaped public opprobrium for his assessment of Metro Manila’s traffic congestion. Perhaps it’s not fatal, he said in an interview.

Various groups have since contradicted Abaya’s assessment. Physicians’ groups said more cars on the road and vehicles idling in heavy traffic worsened air quality, which can have long-term impact on health. Lung cancer and related afflictions can kill. Traffic gridlocks can also slow down ambulances, which can lead to loss of lives, medical groups have pointed out. So yes, traffic can kill, literally.

And yes, traffic jams can also choke the economy. The impact may not be fatal, but the gridlocks can hold back growth. Studies have estimated that the country loses billions every year in terms of productivity because of traffic jams.

Abaya, who is the acting president of the ruling Liberal Party, probably shares the view of LP president-on-leave and standard bearer Manuel Roxas II, that traffic jams indicate progress. That viewpoint, if shared by other administration officials, can explain why there has been no urgency in dealing with the horrendous traffic gridlocks.

All that the government has done is to appeal to the public for patience. Filipinos have a high tolerance for lousy public services, but anyone can see that there’s room for improvement in traffic management.

Simply stopping buses from turning major thoroughfares into virtual private terminals can go a long way in preventing bottlenecks. Roxas, who still hasn’t stepped down as interior secretary, can deploy more traffic cops even at night and during heavy rains and floods. Abaya could have done his part by improving mass transportation facilities to encourage car owners to take public transportation, but the light railway and commuter train systems continue to deteriorate.

Even some Catholic bishops are trying to do their part and taking a direct hand in untangling the mess. More vehicles on the road and construction of infrastructure projects may be signs of progress. But progress can be enhanced by efficient traffic management. The traffic problem may not prove fatal, but it can land the economy in intensive care.