Something to seriously consider

The talk of traffic, and just how bad it has become, has been in the news the past weeks. Traffic is just so bad, it is affecting almost everyone. Employees are coming to work late, with warnings and memos left and right from their employers. It seems bad traffic is not a valid reason. Businesses are also complaining, as productivity and operations suffer from so much time only being spent on the roads. Indeed, traffic is everyone's concern. In a recent survey conducted on traffic conditions all over the world, the Philippines ranks the 5th worst, beaten only by countries like Egypt, Iran, Thailand, and South Africa. As for cities, Manila ranks the 13th worst. Definitely not rankings to be proud of.

Last Saturday was, for me, the worst. So many factors contributed to it being such a terrible day. Rallies were going on at the Shaw-EDSA and EDSA shrine areas, with participants effectively blocking both north and southbound lanes of the city's principal artery. With Metro Manila being congested as it currently is, anything happening on EDSA immediately affects everyone. Many were caught unaware of what was happening. Others found themselves stuck plying alternate routes, because everyone else was doing just that. Factor in the payday weekend, mall sales, and the rush hour traffic, and you have what is now known as "carmaggedon." Indeed, a friend of mine traveled twenty-five kilometers in four hours. Not fun at all. And that was not even on EDSA, but on Nagtahan/Quirino highway. Horrendous. It is ironic that the price of fuel is again going down, but there really is nowhere to go.

Today is a holiday, so traffic may not be that bad. But what happens on Tuesday when both regular classes and work resume, and EDSA is still effectively closed? What happens to all those who simply want to eke out a decent living? What happens to students who have to go to school? There are schools in the vicinity of where the rally is ongoing. Do they just close the schools until the rally ends? And when exactly is that going to happen? Will the hell that was Saturday repeat itself on Tuesday?

All these problems will definitely not be over anytime soon. This has prompted many to relocate away from Metro Manila. Some have gone back to the provinces, especially retirees. Some have opted to stay in less congested places like Tagaytay. The reason many still stay here in Metro Manila is because most of the essentials, such as well accredited schools and well equipped hospitals are here, along with business. There are many cities in the country, such as Cebu, where an infrastructure similar to Metro Manila can be done. With the right investors, the decongestion of Metro Manila may yet be attained, to the benefit of many. In many developed countries, it doesn't matter where you are because the infrastructure is available. Schools, hospitals, business and even government. We need that to happen in the country. Easier said than done, I agree. But definitely something to seriously consider.