Salceda files bill to solve traffic
Albay second district Representative Joey Salceda filed House Bill No. 3712 which will grant emergency powers to President Rodrigo Duterte so that the traffic congestion crisis in Metro Manila could be immediately resolved.
This was after National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) claimed on September 26, 2016 the daily harms of traffic congestion in Metro Manila will increase to P6 billion by 2030 if no intervention is undertaken.
Albay statesman cited a report of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which said that land and air traffic congestion is costing the country losses in potential income of P2.4 billion daily.
Salceda said that JICA also reported more cars on the road that are causing rise in greenhouse emissions from 4.7 million tons per year in 2012 to 5.7 million tons per year by 2030. The urbanization and the growth of transportation means will be causing a staggering cost in human health and climate change.
Massive and traffic congestion in the country has become a national emergency that established lawmakers to the House Bill based with Article 2, Section 10 of the Philippine Constitution, promoting social justice in all phases of national development.
The bill seeks the designation of a traffic crisis manager under the Department of Transportation, grant of authority for special modes of finding, safeguards in implementing the executive order on Freedom of Information to ensure transparency and accountability and creation of a congressional oversight committee.
“There is no lack of daily reminders of the pervasive traffic crisis with personal stories of friends and family members missing out on their personal and professional lives because they spend literally half of their day in cars, jeepneys, buses, and planes wallowing in traffic,” Salceda said.
He added that HB 3712 mandates the formulation of a decongestion and transportation network development reform plan for four sectors whenever it is land-based, rail transport and toll roads, air-based and seaports.
Salceda believed that there is a lack having planned action that will stop the crisis from escalating and spreading to other urban hubs such as Cebu and Davao.
