Dignified Commuting

MOBILITY IS A KEY ISSUE IN METRO MANILA. In 2014, a study by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said the country is losing P2.4 billion daily due to traffic congestion, a number which may amount to P5.4 billion a day by 2035 if no intervention is made.

- Penn De Vera

Meanwhile, a study by the Boston Consulting Group commissioned by ride-sharing platform Uber in 2017 said Metro Manila residents spend an hour and six minutes each day, or 16 days a year, stuck in traffic, costing commuters about P100,000 in lost income and opportunities a year.

Anybody who has ever relied on public transportation in Metro Manila knows all too well the perils and difficulties of commuting. The daily agony of waiting for a ride home or getting stuck in traffic for hours on end is even worsened by poor air quality, unpredictable weather (hello, climate change!), and the constant danger posed by lawless elements or errant drivers. This writer is only but one among the millions of Filipinos who are tormented by the miserable state of the metro’s public transport system—a service so basic yet so crucial for many whose daily living requires going from one place to another.

Something must be done. And clearly, there’s no other way but for the government to address mobility issues not only in Metro Manila but across the country as well, by improving public transportation services and infrastructure. For this to come to fruition, a guiding law is crucial.

On July 24, Senator Francis Pangilinan, in cooperation with transport advocacy group AltMobility PH, filed Senate Bill 775 (SB 775) or the Magna Carta for Dignified Commuting. This important piece of legislation emphasizes mobility with dignity as a basic human right, highlighting the primacy of the commuting public’s well-being, including those with disabilities or special needs.

In a nutshell, some of SB 775’s key provisions zero in on the following aspects: