Christmas as we know it is definitely here this year. With our Covid numbers down and restrictions relaxed, we are experiencing the holidays the way we used to: Parties, reunions, and last-minute shopping all add up to the excitement and the rush, as well as to the traffic congestion that we now see on our roads that some are saying are now back to pre-pandemic numbers. I would say that we are still far from that level, but it is good to be aware of it at this point.
One situation that poses the possibility of bringing back that level of congestion is the proposal to allow provincial buses to enter Metro Manila utilizing their terminals, mostly along Edsa. That would mean approximately 5,000 buses that would squeeze their way daily in an already crowded road corridor. And it is not just their numbers that would slow down traffic. As these buses come in, so would the last mile pick-up vehicles such as taxis, vans and private cars, plus the many itinerant vendors that would converge on these terminals; terminals that are mostly converted parking spaces that require the road as their back-up space to allow them to enter and exit properly. I remember tackling this problem when I was at the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority when I had to impose a “nose in, nose out” policy on these establishments, resulting in several terminal closures at that time. Mind you, there is now such a creeping presence in some areas along Edsa, particularly along the Taft-Edsa crossing and Cubao and Kamias roads where these bus terminals are traditionally found.
This is precisely why the government, through public-private partnerships, established the integrated terminals located on the outskirts of Metro Manila. We have the existing ones southwest of Manila and the one up north bordering Bulacan, while the one to service the south corridor is still to be constructed. These terminals are intended to allow the provincial commuter service operations with minimum interference of the Metro Manila traffic flow. A necessary part of this would be the operations of shuttle services to ferry commuters to the inner cities. However, opponents to these terminals cite mainly two reasons: the inconvenience to the commuter of taking another vehicle, as well as the higher cost of such a transfer. These are definitely valid reasons and should be addressed by the Transportation department. On the issue of inconvenience, I would say that the present integrated terminals are a far cry from most of the present roadside terminals that we have. Maybe what is needed is a smoother and more seamless transfer services with a series of city stops similar to the airport shuttle services we see in other countries. On the issue of costs, a probable solution would be to allow these provincial buses to operate their own shuttle services, taking out costs common to both provincial and shuttle services such as terminal and parking fees then reflecting such deduction on the fees paid for by the commuter. This would also allow additional revenues for the provincial bus operators who lament the underutilization of their in-city terminal properties. But whatever the case maybe, I would rather hope we do not go back to allowing provincial buses back to Edsa. Adjustments are definitely needed and should be taken, but there are more benefits not to bring them back.
On another note, as we take our rides on our streets in this holiday season, let us not turn a blind eye to our homeless brothers and sisters who will be spending Christmas on the streets. There are a lot of them and more now in this pandemic. Lending a hand, sharing with them that extra food we got as a gift or that blanket or clothes we will never use—all of these will mean a lot to them. They are, after all, part of the journey we are in, occupying the same streets we take.
Merry Christmas and wishing everybody a safe, reflective, restful and blessed season.
The author may be reached via: thomas_orbos@sloan.mit.edu