EDITORIAL - Wanted: Traffic manager

Now that President Aquino has designated the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group as the lead agency in implementing traffic rules in Metro Manila, he should also consider appointing a new overall traffic manager.

The official who’s supposed to be in charge, Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino, is unabashedly busy raising his national profile outside his jurisdiction. At the height of the monstrous traffic gridlocks last week due to the Iglesia ni Cristo protest rallies, he went to Legazpi, Albay to personally hand over P20 million worth of traffic lights donated by the MMDA to the city government. What’s the MMDA doing in Albay?

Today Tolentino, who is known to be eyeing a Senate seat in 2016, will be in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan for yet another earthquake drill, similar to the Metro Manila Shake Drill on July 30. The MMDA chief, a presidential appointee who gets little cooperation from the elected mayors of Metro Manila, will reportedly assess the capability of San Jose city employees in conducting emergency evacuation, fire response and rescue in case of an earthquake.

Last week Tolentino was in Cebu to attend a Liberal Party gathering, wherein his plan to run for the Senate was announced. Tolentino is said to be planning another drill later this month in two areas in Laguna. When he conducts the drill, he is accompanied by MMDA personnel.

Meanwhile, traffic in his jurisdiction remains snarled. Though no longer as horrid as the days of the Iglesia protest, the gridlocks remain. With the timetable for the completion of the NAIA Expressway reportedly set back, the current daily massive traffic jams around the area that last till midnight are likely to persist until Christmas and greet participants arriving for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November.

Tolentino seems glad to have the HPG ease his responsibility over traffic management. He should also be glad to be relieved of the MMDA, so that he can focus on a larger constituency for his Senate bid.