Train system in the Philippines ‘underinvested,’ urban transport expert says

The train system in the Philippines is underinvested, urban transport expert Benjie dela Peña said in his interview on the Howie Severino Podcast.

“Under invested 'yung train system natin (Our train system is underinvested),” he said.

Dela Peña expressed concern that the country spends so much on road projects but not on trains and expects the private sector to shoulder the load.

“We spend so much on road, we don't spend on train. Tapos feeling natin, private sector ang magke-carry ng load na 'yan (We feel that the private sector will carry this load), of course not,” Dela Peña said.

“So ang nangyayari, 'yung franchise setups natin, nag-e-extract ng value 'yung private sector on limited amounts, hindi na ma-improve ‘yung service, ‘di ba?” he added.

(So in our franchise setups, the private sector was extracting value on limited amounts, the service has not improved, right?)

For Dela Peña, the country should reinvest in and build more train facilities as well as allot budgets for other modes such as bus and jeepney to improve the transportation situation.

Aside from trains, Dela Peña also discussed on the Howie Severino Podcast the implication of public officials who do not use public transportation.

“It circles us back to this question of our leaders don't experience public transportation. You cannot improve something without really experiencing it, right? Without listening to people who experience it every day. That's the primary thing we need to do,” he said.

Dela Peña talked about the best practices of urban transport in the Philippines like the bike network in Iloilo, which can also be implemented in Metro Manila.

He also pointed out on the podcast the importance of advocate groups in improving public transportation in the country. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA Integrated News