A Facebook writer named “Jeepneys Begone” posted an interesting series of four notes on the primarily causes of one of the worst traffic system in the world. Though many Filipinos are enamored with the jeepney as a symbol of Filipino ingenuity, Jeepneys Begone confirmed that there are also many Filipinos like me who believe that the time has come for a better mass transport system for the country. And again, I might differ on the order somewhat, Jeepneys Begone has hit the nail on the head on his infamous list. I’m quoting his series in full below:

What ails the Philippines? So many things come to mind, but one thing stands out over other things, especially if you live in Metro Manila: traffic congestion.

Why is the traffic so bad—one of the worst in the world—that one visitor remarked, “New York is nothing compared with this!” Most Filipinos would think of overpopulation, too many cars, and roads not built for such overcrowding. These are all valid reasons, but the causes of the horrible traffic jams are surely much more than these.

The reasons are more deep-seated than just overpopulation, too many cars, and narrow roads. I would propose that these more radical reasons can aptly be called “curses,” because when one looks at the situation, many Filipinos would conclude it’s a hopeless situation.

So here are my Top Ten Curses of Driving in the Philippines. I’ll start from the bottom, and work up from there.

10. Malls and markets. Because there are no zoning regulations, they are built anywhere and everywhere. For example, the whole length of the Alabang-Zapote Road is littered with malls, shopping centers, palenques, office buildings, restaurants, subdivisions, you name it. Instead of the traffic jams concentrated in a business section, a restaurant section, etc., the whole road is a huge traffic jam 24/7! As well, many malls are built on roads that have only one or two lanes.

9. Street vendors and beggars: They are found at every street corner. Drivers have to slow down so they don’t get run over. Many jeepney drivers would stop in the middle of traffic and buy cigarettes or water or whatever.

8. Bad roads and road signs: These cause many accidents and confusion. For example, I’ve seen people backing up on the Ortigas overpass from EDSA, a very dangerous (and stupid) thing to do. Why? Because they didn’t know that the left lane leads to the overpass–the sign telling drivers that the lane leads to the overpass to Ortigas is 100 meters into the overpass so it’s not visible to drivers from EDSA! Also, speed bumps and barriers litter major roads with no warnings, and these cause slowdowns and accidents.

7. Private vehicles. There are too many cars, small trucks, vans and SUVs for the little streets in the Philippines. The private vehicle population, like the human population, has to be controlled, maybe with high taxes, high parking rates, high gasoline and diesel taxes for private vehicles, and strict car pooling regulations. “Color coding” laws simply do not work because of too many cars. This is aggravated by the lack of knowledge of and obedience to traffic rules and regulations.

6. Commercial Trucks. As well, because of little or no knowledge of and obedience to traffic laws and regulations, truck drivers cause a lot of traffic problems. They scoot dangerously left and right on the roads, speed recklessly, and do not know any kind of safe driving. The trucks usually have no insurance and are big polluters. Most are are too big for the little roads. They are mostly old and inefficient gas guzzlers.

5. Buses. Bus drivers are some of the most unruly, reckless drivers in this country. Like most others, they simply have no knowledge of and obedience to traffic signs, rules and regulations. Many operate illegally and are so substandard that they are known as “rolling coffins.” Most buses have the same characteristic problems as commercial trucks. They’re ahead in ranking over trucks only because there are more of them, and so cause more congestion and accidents.

4. Tricycles (Pedicabs). While most countries have gotten rid of their pedicabs, the Philippines continue to encourage the proliferation of tricycles. If someone does not have an education or life ambition, go drive a tricycle.

Worse than all bus, truck and private vehicle drivers, tricycle drivers have absolutely no knowledge of traffic rules and regulations. They are a law to themselves, driving with no care for traffic laws, because traffic enforcers do not care to enforce the rules on them since they don’t have any pesos to give.

They cause many accidents, especially on provincial roads, where all other vehicles try to pass them, sometimes resulting in fatal head-on collisions. Just recently, a young former beauty queen, with three others, lost their lives in a head-on collision with a bus as the bus tried to overtake a slow tricycle. They were originally made to be used inside subdivisions, and they must be returned to subdivision roads where they belong.

What’s worse than tricycles are the tri-sikads, bicycles with sidecars. Many of them are driven on main roads at 5 mph and they are usually on the fast lane! At night, it’s even worse, because they have no lights!

Watch out for these, because if they hit you, they have no insurance. They are big polluters. The big problem is how to avoid these pests, since there are 2.8 million of them in Manila alone!

3. Motorcycles. All of the above dangerous characteristics of tricycles apply to motorcycles. In terms of drivers, they are second only to jeepneys in the Top Two Curses in Philippine driving. They cause most of the road accidents, most of them fatal. They should be restricted to secondary roads. Most of them do not have insurance, and many violent crimes are committed with the use of motorcycles.

2. Jeepneys. Like almost all public transport drivers, jeepney drivers have absolutely no knowledge of rules, and in case they know a few traffic rules, they ignore them. It’s common knowledge that almost all jeepneys have no insurance, so be forewarned, private vehicles: avoid them like the plague!

A recent report by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources says that most of Manila’s pollution come from jeepneys, buses and tricycles, in that order. A 2007 World Bank report says  that air pollution from these vehicles is the major cause of respiratory disease among the population, costing the country a whopping P7.6 billion annually. In addition to being the top polluter, jeepneys are old, inefficient gas guzzlers, costing several billions more in fuel consumption losses.

Since buses could only travel the major routes, jeepneys could still have a major role in the secondary roads. But the jeepney system must be integrated with the bus and train systems, with the drivers also being paid a regular monthly salary.

Topping all the nine other curses, my Numero Uno curse is…

1. Corruption. Like all other woes of the country, all of these traffic woes would be minimized if corruption among government officials, traffic personnel, drivers, commuters, and everyone else is minimized. Traffic rules would be enforced. A much lower number of people would be traveling, since transactions could be done by phone or online. And everyone would have enough discipline to make traveling safer, efficient, more convenient, healthier for the people and the environment, and most importantly, faster.

The jeepney had been a symbol of Filipino culture and ingenuity. Modified from surplus American jeeps to accommodate many passengers, it had been around since the end of World War II as the staple of public transportation all over the country, especially in big cities.

I admit that my frustration with Manila traffic contributed much to my thoughts in this post. But I believe that the jeepney today, instead of being the blessing that it had been in the past 60 years, has become an archaic relic of the past, an invention that had its day, and should be encased in a museum of Philippine history.

Its predominance in the highways and byways has turned from a blessing to a curse. Because of the lack of discipline, and knowledge of and obedience to traffic rules, regulations and signs, it is the main cause of the horrible Metro Manila traffic. It is the primary culprit of the noxious smog that envelops most urban areas. (How do these chimneys pass the anti-smog inspection?) Most of them have little or no insurance, and coupled with lack of discipline and knowledge, they cause many costly accidents.

The secondary problems that jeepneys cause are many: long commute hours, low-productivity, respiratory health problems, waste of gas, and corruption among traffic police and enforcers, in addition to hearing problems because of the blaring radios!

According to a paper co-authored by Professors Ricardo Sigua and Noriel Tiglao of the University of the Philippines’ National Center for Transportation Studies (NCTS), the annual economic losses due to the traffic mess in the metro area is a staggering 100 billion pesos ($2.2 billion)!

Possible Solutions

It is difficult to pinpoint one or two causes of the huge traffic problems in metro areas because there are many. But in addition to the lack of discipline among all drivers and out-of-control motorcycle and tricycle drivers, I can see two other major contributors.

The first is the number of commuters all day long because, for one thing, even the simplest transactions cannot be done by phone or online, but only in person. What can be done about this? Not much, really, until corruption and dishonesty are kept in check. Online shopping, banking and document processing are probably years, if not decades away from reality, but doable.

The second is the so-called boundary or surcharge system among bus and jeepney operators. How does this contribute to traffic congestion? Simply, in the mad scramble for passengers because their earnings depend on the number of passengers they can get in a day’s driving, drivers stop and park anywhere, even in the middle of the roads, tying up traffic.

As an engineer, I always get into a solutions mode when I see problems and think of ways to improve on how things are done—I also had experience as an industrial process engineer. It would be extremely difficult—some would say even impossible—but nothing less than a comprehensive mass transportation overhaul would suffice, beginning with government ownership. First, jeepneys should be phased out from all major roads and highways and replaced with urban mass transit such as buses and trains. Second, employees of this government-owned transport system should be salaried, which means they get paid fixed monthly salaries that are even better than what they earn today with their hard work. Third, these buses and trains should be operated according to a fixed schedule, being dispatched with frequency based on the time of day. Fourth, all buses from outside Metro Manila should be allowed only at the fringes of the metro area. Fifth, designated bus stops should be strictly enforced.

What happens to all the jeepney drivers and barkers? They would be absorbed and retrained into the mass transport system as drivers, conductors, inspectors, dispatchers, mechanics, janitors, etc. Drivers should be retrained and reprogrammed so that discipline and obedience is hardwired into their brains. The traffic enforcers, in addition, should also be paid regular fixed salaries.

One other thing that seemed to work for the MRT and LRT trains is the seating configuration. The buses could also be configured in the same way, with seats only on the sides for women, elderly and the handicapped, so that the aisles are wide maximizing the density of passengers per square meter of road. There could even be segregation of women, elderly and the handicapped from the rest of the bus, as in the trains. There should be wide doors in the front, middle and back, so the time to load and unload is minimized.

I’m sure that there are many more improvements that mass transport experts can think of to untie the big traffic mess and lessen the misery of commuters.

The above may sound like a pipe dream, but would be a small start and would only work, obviously, if corruption is minimized. The transportation czar should run the system like a business for profit, but with rules and regulations strictly enforced throughout the system.

Now the big question is where to find that honest, incorruptible transportation czar.

Before the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy passed yesterday, the usual train of politicians were seen flocking to the election offices. But in addition to these usual jokers, an unprecedented number of movie, sports, news, comedians, and other celebrities were also seen filing their papers so they can amass more money than what they’re getting now. One columnist said in his article, “They’re off and running!”:

The election fever rages on. Brace yourselves for the mudslinging, character-assassination and the litter of political posters/banners/billboards as soon as the official campaign starts early next year, or even before it does. The circus is coming to town. They’re off and running!

Not that these hordes of future “legislators” and “executives” will all be elected. But the sad thing—and this is the big reason why many of these clowns run for office—is that most of them will be chosen by the screaming and dancing hordes of gray-matter-challenged electorate.

After the elections, celebrity fans will not have to go to the movie theaters and ritzy hotels and restaurants to scream at the sight of Manny Pacquiao or Richard Gomez, they just have to attend the sessions of Congress, and the various provincial, city and municipal halls. This is of course, assuming that these “officials” will be there and not doing a movie, a photo op, a TV show, or playing in a stupid PBA game. And of course, anyone whose dream of a lifetime is to gaze at that favorite comedian has to battle the paparazzi at the doors and hallways.

Click here for another guide to idiots who will run the Philippine circus for the next several years.

Where Have All the Donations Gone?
(With apologies to Pete Seeger and Peter, Paul & Mary)

Where have all the donations gone, long time waiting?
Where have all the donations gone, not so long ago?
Where have all the donations gone?
Village chiefs pocketed them everyone.
Oh, when will people ever learn? (2X)

Where have all the village chiefs gone, with the donations?
Where have all the village chiefs gone, not so long ago?
Where have all the village chiefs gone?
Gone to mayors everyone.
Oh, when will people ever learn? (2X)

Where have all the mayors gone, with the donations?
Where have all the mayors gone, not so long ago?
Where have all the mayors gone?
Gone to congressmen everyone
Oh, when will people ever learn? (2X)

Where have all the congressmen gone, with the donations?
Where have all the congressmen gone, not so long ago?
Where have all the congressmen gone?
Gone to high’st places, everyone.
Oh, when will people ever learn? (2X)

Where have all the high’st places gone, with the donations?
Where have all the high’st places gone, not so long ago?
Where have all the high’st places gone?
Gone to foreign banks, everyone.
Oh, when will people ever learn? (2X)

Where have all the donations gone, long time waiting?
Where have all the donations gone, not so long ago?
Where have all the donations gone?
Gone to depraved men, everyone.
Oh, when will people ever learn? (2X)

Just like many Filipinos, I’m seething mad and totally frustrated with the Philippine government’s neglect of the needs of its people, as seen again in this most recent flooding disaster. No preparation, no warning, bandaid response. As the storm was approaching late last week, I could clearly see from the Internet how big the storm was and where it was headed for.

Adding to my fury is that one of our church families is suffering in stinking blackwater in Pasig City, while City Hall is being decorated for Satanic Halloween, a celebration toh which most Filipinos can truly say, “I don’t know and I don’t care.” Filipinos are well-known for being great copycats, but only of the worst of everything, instead of copying the best.

In February of 1953, a big storm hit the Netherlands which breached its famous but old system of dikes and levees, killing 1,800 people in the worst flooding in modern Dutch history. The Dutch learned their lesson, so they embarked on an $8 billion, 30-year program to strengthen its flood control system. The centerpieces of this engineering marvel are a 2.4-km system of gates along the North Sea and a massive storm surge barrier at the mouth of the Rhine River.

Even while still an engineering student (which was a few decades ago), I remember hearing proposals for flood control from the Dutch. Filipinos have to accept that floods are a natural occurrence in Metro Manila because it is mostly at or below sea level and the Pasig River that dissects the city always overflows. And the primary solution to the problem is an adequate flood control system; controlling trash and reforestation are only secondary.

Sixty percent of the Netherlands is below sea level, but this didn’t daunt this small resourceful people from thinking of ways to control annual flooding. They built dikes, dams, rain storage ponds, and windmill-powered pumps to move water from low areas to higher level areas. In fact, words like dike, dam, sluice – commonly-used today for flood-control – originated from Dutch words.

Decades ago, the Philippine government should have built infrastructure for 100-year flooding (i. e., the kind of flooding that happens once in 100 years): notably high dikes along the Pasig River and high sea walls along Manila Bay. In addition, they should buy extensive tracts of land in the higher portions of the metro area and the surrounding hills and make them storage ponds. These ponds would catch a huge amount of rainfall such as the 410 mm of “Ondoy” to prevent extensive flooding.

These projects might not completely control flooding, but it would surely prevent disastrous flooding such as the most recent one. If the Dutch could control flooding for 10,000 square miles of their country, why can’t the Philippines control flooding for a tiny 240 square miles of Metro Manila? London has its Thames River floodgates, Venice is building the same in the Adriatic, and Japan is building superlevees. Even such a poor country as Bangladesh has erected concrete shelters on stilts as emergency havens for flood victims. Did you read that, “honorable” president, cabinet members, senators and congressmen?

Why not stop squandering $20,000 for a dinner in New York and $1.3 million for a house in San Francisco? Why not use $40 million from ZTE kickbacks, $15 million from the fertilizer fund scam, and $6 million from the Jose Pidal money laundering scheme – to name a few– for flood control?

(Information for this article came from The New York Times article, “In Europe, High-Tech Flood Control, With Nature’s Help.”)