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As the Marcos administration races to complete its big-ticket infrastructure projects, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) remains intent on pushing for high-capacity mass transportation systems to ease the commuting experience.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said the focus over the next three years is to make commuting convenient and comfortable for commuters, giving them more time with their families and enhancing productivity in the workplace.
In a statement, Dizon cited the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT‑7), EDSA Carousel modernization, North-South Commuter Railway System (NSCR), and the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) as “commuter-centric” projects.
"The solution does not lie in building more roads, more wider roads. The solution lies in building high-capacity infrastructures for the commuters," he said.
San Miguel Corp. (SMC) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ramon Ang earlier said that after years of delay, MRT-7 is finally set for full operations next year.
This, after SMC MRT-7 Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of SMC’s infrastructure unit, announced an agreement with South Korea’s national railway operator Korea Railroad Corp. (KORAIL) to provide technical support for the rail line’s operations and maintenance (O&M)
Meanwhile, the Transportation Secretary revealed last month that the planned modernization of the EDSA Carousel will take place simultaneously with the long-overdue rehabilitation of Metro Manila’s main thoroughfare.
The DOTr is set to build dedicated concourses, away from the MRT-3, to serve as bus stations along the carousel’s soon-to-be 25 stops.
Further, Dizon pointed out that once the MMSP and NSCR are completed, the four-hour commute from Pampanga and Bulacan to Metro Manila and vice versa will be cut down to 30 minutes to one hour.
"This is game changing in the amount of savings, amount of quality time spent with family, and the amount of productivity that we can gain from all of these transportation projects, so we have to finish them," he emphasized.
He said completing these projects could potentially encourage car owners to use public transportation, addressing the seemingly eternal heavy traffic.
Dizon added that the DOTr is also set to build more walkways and bike lanes to provide people with an alternative to the mass transit choices.
