Miriam on solving traffic: Discipline, not just infra, needed

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago on Sunday stressed that aside from building new infrastructure, more discipline among road users is also as important in combating traffic.

Speaking at the third leg of the PiliPinas Debates 2016, Santiago said there is a need to build a new railway system that will connect Manila to Bulacan, Cavite and Laguna, and another that will connect the Philippine capital all the way to Bicol.

There is also a need to construct a new modern airport, she said, noting that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has repeatedly been tagged as among the world's worst airports.

Apart from these, however, motorists themselves should exercise discipline on the road.

"The president must appeal very strongly for discipline among drivers, both public and private, and he should lean on the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to make sure those who get licenses are qualified persons," said Santiago.

"There are ways of solving the traffic problem and there is no need to despair," she added.

READ: How Metro Manila's traffic hurts this working mom

Former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino had attributed the worsening traffic situation in Metro Manila to the "dramatic increase" in the number of vehicles using EDSA and other roads.

Tolentino had said the number of vehicles in the metropolis is already way over the existing roads' carrying capacity.

The situation is even worsened by erring motorists, undisciplined drivers of buses and other public utility vehicles (PUVs), and "colorum" PUVs, he said.

READ: Why EDSA traffic has worsened

A JICA study earlier estimated that the country loses P2.4 billion in potential income due to traffic jams in Metro Manila.

WATCH: Billions lost daily due to Metro Manila traffic