Discipline key to solving traffic woes —incoming Rep. Bayani Fernando

Discipline is still the key to solving the worsening traffic situation in the Philippines, former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman and incoming Marikina Rep. Bayani Fernando said on Tuesday.

In a phone interview with Connie Sison on Balitanghali, Fernando said that giving incoming President Rodrigo Duterte emergency powers to solve the traffic congestion in Metro Manila has its benefits, but the lack of discipline is the more immediate concern.

"Ang immediate need ngayon ay disiplina. Number one 'yun eh, very basic 'yun eh," he said.

"'Yung disiplina sa kalye hindi lamang ng motorista, kung hindi lahat ng tao. 'Yung mananakay...kahit 'yung mga nasa bahay nila. Alisin natin 'yung mga sala set halimbawa sa kalye. At 'yung mga nanininda," he added.

Incoming Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Arthur “Art” Tugade on Monday said that the next administration will ask Congress to give emergency powers to Duterte to address the traffic problem in Metro Manila.

Billions of pesos are lost daily due to the heavy traffic, Tugade said, citing data from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The proposed emergency powers would run for a maximum of two years.

Fernando agreed that emergency powers might help unite the local government units (LGU) to achieve the same goal.

He said that when he served as MMDA chairman, he had difficulty proposing solutions because some LGUs rejected them.

"Siguro sa emergency power na 'yun, malalaktawan natin ang tinatawag na autonomy, na kahit papaano ay makuha nating magkaisa-isa ang lahat," Fernando said.

Fernando proposed a single ticketing system to properly discipline erring drivers.

"'Yung ticketing, 'yan ang number one na pangdisiplina ng motorista," he said. —Jessica Bartolome/KG, GMA News