JICA says traffic jams to cost PHL P6B a day by 2030

Traffic jams in key cities, primarily Metro Manila, will take its toll on the Philippine economy to the tune of P6 billion a day starting in 2030, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said Friday. 

 

Shizuo Iwata, JICA consultant and project manager, on Friday said losses from the Philippine transport situation will stay on the rise without the proper solutions, noting that the losses in 2012 registered at P2.4 billion.

 

"Metro Manila is losing competitiveness due to transportation congestion," Iwata told participants to the Energy and Infrastructure Development Seminar on Japanese Contribution to Philippine Infrastructure Development in Manila

 

Part of the solution is the development of a more efficient mass transportation system, the JICA representative said.

 

Comparing the Philippines with Japan, Iwata noted the the Southeast Asian country lags in terms of the railway share to the overall transport system, saying that in Tokyo the railway system accounts for 62 percent of public transportation.

 

The ideal for the Philippines is for the railway system to reach 41 percent as a percentage of the public transport systems, with , jeepneys and buses accounting for 33 percent, and cars for 26 percent, Iwata said.

 

The Japanese aid agency had presented to Malacañang a P2.3-trillion public transportation system roadmap for the Philippines, which traces short-term and long-term developments that include new airports and seaport, modernization of road public transport, and upgrading traffic management.

 

It cited the problems that must be addressed including a growing population in Metro Manila, risks to  families dwelling along waterways, housing backlog, and traffic congestion so that the Philippines can achieve inclusive growth.

 

By 2030, the equivalent demand for mass transit in Metro Manila will reach 7.4 million passengers per day, according to JICA estimates. – VS, GMA News