By GENALYN D. KABILING
Filipinos are living in “purgatory” given their daily struggle in commuting to and from work due to traffic congestion along EDSA, President Duterte admitted last Wednesday.
At a recent public engagement in Malacañang, the President acknowledged the hardship of the commuting public in Metro Manila and encouraged concerned government agencies to “innovate” to improve public transport and ease traffic congestion.
Duterte said he sympathizes with workers who wake up early to commute to work, go home late due to traffic, and still find time to take care of their family.
“Ganun kahirap at kapurgatoryo ang Pilipino,” he said during the oath-taking of newly promoted fire, jail and coast guard officials in Malacañang.
“Kaya ako you have to understand my mouth kung saan napupunta. Galit talaga ako sa oppression and I hate corruption,” he said.
Duterte admitted that while he usually takes the helicopter to avoid road traffic, he feels sorry for the commuters in Metro Manila.
“Iyong bago akong Presidente we realized the impact of the EDSA congestion on the lives of the people commuting. Alam mo sa totoo lang hindi ko lang masabi na — hindi ko masabi-sabi na naaawa talaga ako sa tao,” he said.
Duterte said a worker usually goes home late at night after enduring long commute due to road traffic. When the worker comes home, the person still looks after the family, cleans the house, washes clothes, and prepares food for the next day.
“Alam mo the average worker ng gobyerno o private, they go home at about mga 8, 9. They ride the bus, ‘pag traffic diyan, it will take her to arrive something at 11 at any of the junctions there. And she takes another ride or two rides para makauwi ng bahay,” Duterte said.
“Kaya pagdating ng bahay maglaba pa ‘yan. Ayusin ang mga bata tulog na, at maglaba, maglinis. Tapos magluto ng pagkain hanggang umaga for breakfast. Dumating ‘yan minsan alas-onse, alas-dose, ala-una. Matutulog ‘yan alas-dos, alas-tres,” he added.
The struggle begins again as soon as the worker wakes up the next day and prepares her children for school.
“She wakes up at about 5, 4. She wakes up the children tapos prepare them for school. Basta kaya ng ano ihatid niya, or isama niya ihatid niya, then she reports to work,” Duterte said.
To ease such hardship of commuters, the President said the government must learn to adopt innovation in enhancing transportation and mobility.
He welcomed the re-launch of Pasig River Ferry Service as an alternative transport for Metro Manila commuters.
“Maganda ‘yan (That’s great),” he said about the latest ferry service.
“Gentlemen, we have to innovate — that’s the word to replace invent, to innovate, how we can survive until the finish line when I shall end my term,” he added.
The President previously indicated he was no longer interested with emergency powers to hasten the completion of the Build Build Build program designed to improve mobility and connectivity in the country. He felt that giving him such power was belated since he has less than three years left in office. He was earlier offended by a lawmaker’s suspicion that such powers might only be used for corruption.
Last October, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said 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.
Panelo however quickly assured the public that the government was taking steps to ease traffic congestion by pursuing the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program that includes the construction of skyways and expansion of roads and bridges.
He said concerned government agencies would not allow the daily suffering of commuters and motorists to be permanent and constant. “It cannot be permanent. It cannot be constant, we have to change this,” he said.