Philippine E-Journals

Metro Manila Traffic Regulation and the Public Bus Industry

Eric Vincent C. Batalla

 

Abstract:

This article examines the complexities of the traffic problem in Metro Manila. It has two contentions. The first is that the ineffectiveness of traffic regulation stems from the lack of a clear authoritative body on transportation and traffic. This has contributed to rules that are poorly defined, integrated, and communicated. Hence, rules and regulation are highly discretionary in their enforcement. The second major contention provides that, if poorly regulated, a public transport system dominated by private groups does not always produce socially beneficial results. This is widely recognized in the economics discipline. Privately-owned and managed facilities have introduced competitive practices that characteristically disrupt smooth vehicular flow. The case of public buses on EDSA is provided here. The case reveals another cause of urban traffic congestion: the revenue-maximizing behavior of transient transport workers regulated by low-paid traffic enforcers. The article suggests that relevant structural solutions be considered.