Wanted: Emergency Powers (would Giving President Duterte Extra Space in Decision-making Solve Traffic Jams?)

MORNINGS in Metro Manila-one of the largest megacities in the world with 14 million people-can be filled with ironies. At a time when most people are rushing off to work, traffic jams have kept millions of commuters and motorists trapped inside private and public vehicles-unmoving.

Trains that are supposed to take commuters from one end of the Metro to another in minutes suddenly seemed slow in arriving, as millions of passengers wait in long queues for their ride to arrive.

Others bet on buses, while a few shell out additional pesos on taxi cabs.

All these happen on a supposed 21-kilometer expressway named after one of the best Filipino writers in Spanish, Epifanio de los Santos.

Indeed, what straddles the fast-paced centers of the metropolis, Edsa seems to hold every inch of growth in abeyance. The clogged Highway 54 is something that President Duterte promises to change. To do this, Mr. Duterte said he may need to be granted emergency powers by both houses of Congress.

''Pag walang emergency powers makukumpas ba natin 'yan? Hindi natin makukumpas 'yan,' Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade earlier told the Business Mirror in a roundtable. According to Tugade, if the government fails to synchronize everything, traffic ills would be solved in one area, but would cause a bottleneck in another area.

'You can solve the traffic jam along Edsa, but a bottleneck would occur in Quezon City,' he said. 'Let's cooperate with each other. We have a good chance to do something now.'

Tugade said he vows to solve traffic ills in 24 months. 'Kapag after two years wala akong nagawa, sipain ninyo ako.'

Nothing capricious

GRANTING emergency powers to the Commander in Chief will give Mr. Duterte the authority to impose rules and regulations without the permission of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

In terms of traffic rules, the emergency powers can give the current administration the authority to disregard traffic rules set by each city and municipality in Metro Manila.

Under the Local Government Code (LGC) of 1991, local government units (LGUs) are given autonomy to set their respective road-use policies, among others.

However, after over two decades, the independence given to local public officials has resulted in conflicting traffic rules and regulations. Tugade said the policy incongruity needs to be addressed if some reprieve from the daily traffic situation-which seems to be worsening by the day-will be felt by commuters and motorists.

Tugade claims giving Mr. Duterte emergency powers will allow the government the authority to remove all bus terminals on Edsa. These bus terminals have added to the congestion before, during and after rush hour, the transportation czar said.

'Nothing in the emergency powers is capricious,' Tugade said, adding they would also consult owners of land that may need widening or opening up. ''Pag pumunta ako ng walang emergency powers, papaalisin lang nila ako.'

Knife-like

THESE emergency powers, Tugade claims, can also help address 'with knife-like precision' the complicated situation of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT). He said so many temporary restraining orders (TROs) are currently filed in connection with the MRT.

The complex ownership structure of the MRT is one of the biggest causes for the neglect of the mass-transport system, Tugade said.

The country's train system suffers a serious lack of cars, poor maintenance, especially of tracks, faulty elevators and escalators at stations, and other operational deficiencies.

The main victims of this poor service are commuters who are crammed into train cars like sardines every rush hour. Apart from the high density of passengers, many MRT cars encounter problems with their air-conditioning system, causing many passengers severe discomfort throughout their ride.

According to Tugade, the emergency powers would address the various TROs and lawsuits that have tied the MRT to its current sorry state.

'If you look at the problems related to the MRT, you will see a labyrinth of selfishness na hindi mo mabibigyan ng solusyon.'

Port congestion

APART from addressing traffic jams, Tugade claims the emergency powers would allow the Duterte administration to directly and swiftly address congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).

One major solution the government intends to implement is to transfer the Naia's general aviation-which includes mostly privately owned aircraft-to locations like Sangley.

The President himself said in his State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday the move will negatively affect only the rich who have their own planes. But the move, Tugade said, will address at least 18 percent to 20 percent of the congestion at the Naia.

This, however, will open Tugade and the administration to lawsuits. He said the owners of these private aircraft will not take the matter sitting down and, because they have the money, can sue him and the Duterte administration.

According to Tugade, this plan is not new and was hatched during the administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III.

'Bakit hindi nagawa? There was no political will that is supported by emergency powers, kasi kakasuhan ka,' he told the Business Mirror. ''Pag inalis ko ho 'yung general aviation, akala mo 'yung mga may-ari ng mga helicopter dyan, 'just-just' na papayag? Kakasuhan ho ako [ng mga] iyan.'

Business support

BUSINESS groups, meanwhile, have supported Tugade's proposal for emergency powers when it was aired in June.

In a statement issued following the Sulong Pilipinas Business Conference in Davao City, the Makati Business Club (MBC) said it is giving conditional support to the Duterte administration to be vested with emergency powers to resolve what it has dubbed a 'transportation crisis.'

'The MBC believes...