Amid traffic caused by major infra projects, businessmen score lack of gov’t foresight

MANILA – Businessmen scored the Aquino administration for being ill-prepared for the massive traffic jam triggered by two major Metro Manila infrastructure projects, construction for which began this week.

“It’s elementary that planning alternative routes, restricted traffic flow in areas affected and other measures adopted with prior communication and inform campaign should have been done,” Melito S. Salazar Jr., president of the Management Association of the Philippines told Interaksyon.com in a text message.

In the face of the traffic jam caused by the start of construction for the Skyway Stage 3 Project along Osmena Highway and of the NAIA Expressway, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has offered — albeit belatedly — suggestions on how to ease the congestion, including a shift to a four-day work week.

Angelo V. Perfecto, Makati Business Club executive director, said the problem is that the public transportation system is a “total mess” and the government has failed to put forward a long-term plan to address this.

As a result, more people resort to private vehicles that the existing infrastructure cannot accommodate, he said.

“It is high time that national and local governments tell the people what will be done to improve public transport over the short, medium and long term – and that such plans are actually implemented,” Perfecto said.

A Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) report said traffic congestion in Metro Manila cost the country P2.4 billion in economic and opportunity losses.

Citra Central Expressway Corp on Monday closed the center island and two southbound inner lanes of Osmena Highway, which will serve as the work site for the Skyway Stage 3 Project.

Full-scale construction will begin in April this year.

Besides the Skyway Stage 3, construction also has begun for the NAIA Expressway, which would connect the country’s main international gateway to the Entertainment City of state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor). –Darwin G. Amojelar, InterAksyon.com