Metro Manila is gripped by a “traffic crisis,” not a transportation crisis, due to many cars on the road, poor infrastructure, and inefficient traffic management, Malacañang acknowledged yesterday.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo, however, quickly assured the public that the government was taking steps to ease traffic congestion by pursuing the “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.
The administration’s massive infrastructure program includes the construction of skyways and expansion of roads and bridges to help improve traffic flow in Metro Manila and nearby areas, according to Panelo.
“Mayroong traffic crisis pero hindi transportation crisis. Kasi when you say transportation crisis, wala ka na sinasakyan, paralyzed ang buong traffic,” he said.
“There is a traffic crisis, precisely because on the conditions like there’s so many volumes of cars na you cannot accommodate by our roads. Tapos eh, marami pang nagba-violate ng traffic. Hindi pa efficient ang traffic management, kaya patung-patong ang problema eh,” he added.
Panelo recognized the huge traffic problem affecting the nation after taking public transportation to Malacañang yesterday.
It took Panelo almost four hours to reach Malacañang after taking four jeepney rides and hitching a ride on a private motorcycle. He left New Manila, Quezon City at 5:15 a.m. and arrived at the New Executive Building inside the Palace compound at 8:46 a.m. (Genalyn Kabiling)