MANILA, Philippines – Muntinlupa Mayor Rozzano Rufino “Ruffy” Biazon and Quezon City (QC) Mayor Joy Belmonte are of the same opinion that local government units (LGU) can help provide a better, more sustainable mass transport system if they wield more power over public transportation.

“’Yung authority ng local governments [over public transportation] kailangan magkaroon para po ma-manage ‘yung traffic within our jurisdiction,” said Biazon on Saturday, October 19, during one of the panel sessions of Rappler’s Social Good Summit. (READ: How Quezon City, Muntinlupa, and Isabela City make urban areas liveable)

(Local governments need to have authority over public transportation so we can manage traffic within our jurisdiction.)

This is not to say LGUs can usurp the power of the national governments, especially on public transport that traverses multiple cities. But for Belmonte, local governments could use more leeway when it comes to public transport that’s within their city.

The QC mayor was referring to the Libreng Sakay program, which she said has a fleet of 90 buses plying eight routes within the city and had provided a total ridership of 29 million.

“But now we are under a little bit of threat, because the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board) are breathing down our necks saying we don’t have or we may not have that jurisdiction or that power,” said Belmonte on Saturday.

QC’s Libreng Sakay program launched during the pandemic. Recently, QC government started electrifying the fleet.

While the mayor is already in talks with the DOTr and the LTFRB regarding the program, she said that Libreng Sakay “is something that for me, dapat hindi na lang pakialamanan ng national government.” (The national government shouldn’t get involved with Libreng Sakay anymore.)

According to Robie Sy Jr, co-convenor of Move As One Coalition, mobility advocates support LGUs in having more power over the transportation realm.

“In civil society…we believe that LGUs should be empowered to take full control of that area so that you can actually manage your economic activity,” said Sy during the question and answer portion of the panel.

Local chief executives could learn from the problems hounding transport in Metro Manila, a 2022 study published by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies said. The study particularly focused on road construction and urban rail systems.

The study recommended that local planners and leaders should start “having a long-term vision” and plan for a transit-oriented development.

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The electric buses in QC have bigger capacity, according to Belmonte, as compared to the conventional buses powered by internal combustion engines.

“It can accommodate more people, and that would [mean] less cars on the road.”

As more public transportation modes crop up and the network expands, Belmonte said they would have to build more parking buildings.

“We have to disincentivize people from bringing cars into the cities,” said Belmonte. “And we put parking lots around so that they can park and then take the MRT, LRT, the bus.”

Quality public transport infrastructure is a need, especially in cities of low and middle-income countries, according to the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy.

A good transport infrastructure not only moves people, but also drives the economy. It can make the air we breath cleaner, and help reduce carbon emissions in congested cities.

In Muntinlupa, Biazon said they are eyeing the construction of a land port, referring to the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange as an example.

“We’re putting up a intermodal transport terminal there so that we can direct all the other transportation systems to be centralized there as a hub,” said Biazon.

The Muntinlupa mayor said bike parkings will also be available at the land port to encourage the integration of public transport and cycling.

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– Rappler.com