A day after resigning as traffic chief, Gealon sums it up: 'So much to be done.'

[Clermont]

BUT you must admit they are working on the traffic problem around Manila. I for one have noticed the difference, eg; double parking, parking on footpaths, now only occasionally driving the wrong way. I’ll admit that is only Manila I’m writing about but I’ve also noticed changes in the province’s too. Wearing of helmets, sandals instead of flip flops, even driving on the right side of the road, not much double parking. Yes we can nit pick but in reality, everyone has said it’s going to take a generation to fix. There has been writings on licences, well do you think our own countries had perfect licensing procedures when they first started cracking down and, everyone obeyed traffic rules. Just think, what was your last home ticket for, and I agree, a committee doesn’t always work out in an agency. Give them time, they’ll get there act together.

[Freebie]

3 hours ago, Clermont said:

BUT you must admit they are working on the traffic problem around Manila. I for one have noticed the difference, eg; double parking, parking on footpaths, now only occasionally driving the wrong way. I’ll admit that is only Manila I’m writing about but I’ve also noticed changes in the province’s too. Wearing of helmets, sandals instead of flip flops, even driving on the right side of the road, not much double parking. Yes we can nit pick but in reality, everyone has said it’s going to take a generation to fix. There has been writings on licences, well do you think our own countries had perfect licensing procedures when they first started cracking down and, everyone obeyed traffic rules. Just think, what was your last home ticket for, and I agree, a committee doesn’t always work out in an agency. Give them time, they’ll get there act together.

I admire your positive spirit and outlook.. but I havent seen any changes in the Manila I live in.. Jeepneys turn on whatever color light there is, with no apprehension. UV/FX vans do basically  the same. Motorbikes seem to have no idea what traffic lights nor pedestrian crossings are for.. Trucks happily park on pavements and pedestrians left to walk in the road. Same with security trucks.

Yes EDSA busway has been made only for buses thanks to MMDA and youtube vloggers such as Gadget Addict. .

Yes MMDA has lots of clearing operations but sadly the moment they are gone, pavements are car parks or for vendors all over again.

Licence issuance has marginally improved with now a written questionnaire but given how irrelevant/bizarre/weird some of the questions are thats not going to help at all.. Having an infraction meaning you can only get a 5 years licence not 10 years, is a good step. MMDA and traffic marshalls having bodycams, good.. failing to turn them on, less good.

People park anywhere and everywhere. New restaurants always have the bare minimum of parking slots so streets at night become parking lots.   Id love to say that things are changing but I just dont see it.  One generation to fix....hmmm...the word unfixable comes to my mind.

[Clermont]

2 hours ago, Freebie said:

admire your positive spirit and outlook.. but I havent seen any changes in the Manila I live in.

I must admit I’m not around Makati of a night, my experience is day experience and I do agree traffic is still haphazard, but like I said it’s a generational change. There is no problem that can’t be solved, like you said they’ve started with the bus lanes and still having trouble keeping motorcycles out of them, and I have seen police blitzes on bikes, I believe they are trying to fix the problem. I suppose that’s about all they can do.

[Kingpin]

18 hours ago, scott h said:

"we dont need no stinking foreigner to tell us what to do!"

They don't. Nobody does.

The agenda is which "international assessments" get attention, and which don't. It's almost like actual problems that are difficult to solve get ignored, and the fake problems get promoted so they can get paid while pretending to fix things...

 

 

[Freebie]

There is though one bright spot.. BGC in Taguig. Ok its all new and modern and Ayala have swamped the place with enforcers but.. its possible to cross a road at a pedestrian crossing at any time without fear of being run over ( guards are at every major crossing ) , roving bands of marshals apprehend drivers for non compliance with rules, jeepneys are regulated as to which roads they can go on, and which they cant, no one can park anywhere thats not a parking space.. in short its Singapore...... One very small area, but proves with huge amount of enforcement it can be done. And thereon perhaps lies the problem.

[Lee1154]

20 hours ago, Clermont said:

I must admit I’m not around Makati of a night, my experience is day experience and I do agree traffic is still haphazard, but like I said it’s a generational change. There is no problem that can’t be solved, like you said they’ve started with the bus lanes and still having trouble keeping motorcycles out of them, and I have seen police blitzes on bikes, I believe they are trying to fix the problem. I suppose that’s about all they can do.

Which generation?

[Mike J]

The mayor says the problem can be helped if; "He also said that businesses and places like the Cebu Country Club in Brgy. Kasambagan could also open their properties near major roads to provide arterial routes."  Yeah, pretty sure the club will start on that right away. 

https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/cebu-news/2023/12/29/2322074/mayor-admits-situation-horrible-rama-garcia-traffic-czars

CEBU, Philippines — Mayor Michael Rama will now personally handle the traffic situation in Cebu City’s north district while Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia will take charge of that in the south district.

This developed following the resignation of City Councilor Rey Gealon as chairman of the city’s Traffic Management and Coordination Committee (TMCC).

Declining to discuss Gealon’s resignation, Rama yesterday said he had already tapped Garcia, along with City Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera, to take care of the whole traffic situation of the south district.

He revealed this during an interview with the Cebu City Government’s Sugboanon Channel during its “Ingna’ng Mayor” segment.

Rama said he would take care of the north, and specifically mentioned the Banilad-Talamban area, particularly Archbishop Reyes Ave. to Brgy. Pit-os, and the portion of Gorordo Ave. by the Colegio dela Inmaculada Conception school.

“Ang kinabuhi nako sa wala pa ko masulod sa public service, traffic enforcer na ko,” he said.

Rama, however, made it clear that he would not be serving as TMCC chairman, as he would rather be on the streets. Besides, he said, there is no need for him to do so since he already established the foundation for it to function without him.

He, however, said that he need City Councilor James Anthony Cuenco, City Council committee on transportation chairman, to author an ordinance to legislate his planned interventions.

He admitted that the current traffic situation in the city is “horrible” but added that it is not difficult to solve.

“Dili gyud na siya lisod sulbaron,” the mayor said.

Among the solutions he thought of was the conversion of a few Cebu Provincial Government’s properties in Cebu City, like those in barangays Apas and Lahug, into roads to complement existing road networks and help ease traffic flow.

He also appealed for malls to cooperate and open the road networks within their premises.

“Unsa may buot nako ipasabot? Ayaw mo og exclusive, bring all of your road networks to be part of the solution to the horrific traffic,” Rama said.

He also said that businesses and places like the Cebu Country Club in Brgy. Kasambagan could also open their properties near major roads to provide arterial routes.

He said the Cebu Country Club could be converted into a business district that would have wide roads that can provide alternative routes along the Banilad-Talamban area.

The roads, he said, could even connect with F. Cabahug St. in Panagdait and with Hernan Cortes Ave. in Mandaue City.

[craftbeerlover]

I am not confident it will ever be solved, corruption, looking the other way, and "that is how we do it in the Philippines mentality" are all ingrained into everyday living.    A couple sensible and easy fixes would be to create or enforce zoning laws.   Most places I have visited, the right hand lane is not a lane at all, but serves as a parking place for people to set up small businesses on the side of the road.   Some of the larger businesses or restaurants may have parking but not near enough to accommodate their customers.  Parking in the right hand land falls into the "that is how we do it in the Philippines" category. 

[Kingpin]

17 hours ago, craftbeerlover said:

I am not confident it will ever be solved

It won't be solved for you because there's no financial incentive. But you can partly solve it yourself, in the city at least, by getting goods delivered to you. Let the delivery drivers deal with traffic.

[scott h]

19 hours ago, craftbeerlover said:

Parking in the right hand lane

But didnt you know that parking in the right lane is perfectly permissible, provided of coarse you have your emergency flashers on! 

Just so you know, since you are from the states like I am, emergency flasher dont designate an emergency here, but mean "I am going to cause an inconvenience to the rest of the driving public.......but I dont care "

Just as horns are not used to alert a driver that he is making a mistake, but actually are used by motorscooter to let a driver know that they are doing something stupid, like "I am passing you on the right side so dont swerve into me"

What I always find funny is that them moment a traffic light turns green, even before you can let out the clutch, some joker always honks their horn.