I had written about this several times since the pandemic started—that despite this tragedy, the situation offers the unique opportunity for rebirth, a new beginning and a second chance to do things right. This can never be more heartfelt than in the area of public transportation and urban planning where our policy-makers are now facing the chance to embark on big undertakings—a legacy that future generations will forever remember and benefit from.
Knowing what is right for the general public was never absent in the intentions of our urban and transport planners. One just needs to skirt through the urban development and transport plans from as far back as 50 years ago to see that the plans for transport modernization and urban renewal were already there. But they never really prospered as planned because of politics, funding, other policy priorities, or due to strong sectoral opposition. The situation has reached a stalemate that changing these plans would do damage to the whole idea. Think of a stab wound where the person might bleed to death if you take out the knife. Hence, it was a daunting task to even begin talking about change.
Now, here we are, in the midst of this Covid-19 crisis. Despite the tragedy that has befallen us, there is that opportunity to do things right. And we need to take this rare opportunity. If one reflects on where we are right now, it cannot be denied that we are partly to be blamed for our current situation. The way we lived our lives—centralized economies leading to urban congestion, farm factories, natural resource wastage and “carbon-based resource” dependence provided the perfect storm for a minute virus to halt and threaten global civilization. Could it be that our daily dose of carbon emissions have weakened our lungs to repel a virus that primarily attacks our respiratory system?
Therefore, the need to take advantage of this opportunity to change is not just to bring back the ideal that we could not accomplish before. It is for our survival; for strengthening ourselves to fight a pandemic and other probably more vicious virus-enemies in the future.
And while we are at it, let’s not stop at minor changes in the way we conduct our urban lives. Let us go for the major initiatives that are game changers while we still can. A concrete example is the renewed interest in bicycles and the construction of bike lanes. Yes, indeed. Practical and logical in this new situation we are in. But why stop there. Our transport policy-makers from both the Legislative and Executive branches can now do what is necessary and right. The Edsa bus rationalization program, before unimaginable to take off, is now to be embarked on. What about the central provincial bus terminals? Now would also be a good time as well to implement them because they are necessary to curb the spread of coronavirus and similar infections. Imagine if we have the 60 plus terminals to bring commuters in and out of Metro Manila. And imagine, on the other hand, controlling these on centralized entry points. That benefit alone should give us the impetus to push for their immediate implementation. What about the odd-even or car-less days that was proposed before? This can easily be implemented now as we are all on the “social distancing” and “work from home” modes. The route rationalization—identifying the proper modes of transport to include the tricycles serving specific corridors—we can do it now. The same goes for the modernization program for all public transport vehicles and not just the jeepneys but also the buses, trikes and even trucks. Or, on a bigger scale, the “Balik-Probinsya” program, which is an inclusive program for sustainable urban renewal. All these were unthinkable for us to implement before the pandemic. But now, these dreams are just several steps away to turn into reality.
We’ve all heard in several motivational speeches about “weiji,” the Chinese word for crisis, which has a double-meaning—“problem” and “opportunity.” Notwithstanding its real meaning, “weiji” aptly describes the situation we are in right now. Yes, we are now in a crisis, but we are also given an opportunity—a chance for rebirth and a new beginning.
Thomas Tim Orbos was former DOTr undersecretary for roads and general manager of the MMDA. He is currently undertaking further studies at the McCourt School of Public Policy of Georgetown University. He can be reached via e-mail at thomas_orbos@sloan.mit.edu