Members of the House Minority Bloc have bared their thoughts on Senator Robinhood “Robin” Padilla’s rather novel suggestion to address Metro Manila's traffic problem.
Assistant Minority Leaders Gabriela Women’s Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, OFW Party-list Rep. Marissa Magsino; and Minority member AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee in particular commented on Padilla's suggestion to use cable cars during a press conference on Wednesday, Aug. 10.
Padilla, during thr Senate plenary session on Tuesday, Aug. 9, suggested the installation of cable cars throughout Metro Manila to help alleviate traffic congestion.
“Meron pong isang nauuso din ngayon na kung tawagin po nila ay ‘rope way.’ Eto po yung pag gamit ng cable nais ko din pong sana na mai-imungkahi po sa inyo, na ito po ay bagay din sa Pilipinas, lalong lalo na sa Metro Manila dahil sa traffic. Eto po yung mga cable car, (One popular method now is the ‘rope way'. This is the use of cable cars which I would like to suggest to you. This would be applicable in the Philippines, especially in Metro Manila because of the traffic. These are cable cars),” Padilla said on Aug. 9, in response to an address delivered by Senator JV Ejercito.
Brosas said that cable cars wouldn’t solve the issue.
“Actually, hindi yon masosolusyonan ang problema natin on mass public transport system na mahusay. Ang kailangan po talaga ay maayos na ang ating mga sasakyan, mabuksan ang mga franchises ngayon, makabiyahe ang mga jeepneys, makabiyahe ang mga bus, yun yung kailangan ngayon, hindi po yung cable car ngayon (they won’t properly solve our problems in the mass public transport system. What we need are better vehicles, to open franchises, to let jeepneys and buses operate, not cable cars),” Brosas said.
“Ang sabi din satin dati sa electric bus, masosolusyonan ang problema natin. Nasolusyonan ba ngayon? E, lalo humaba yung pila sa MRT, sa LRT tapos hirap na hirap na tayo makakuha ng jeep. Hindi po talaga yung cable car na issue (Electric buses were once promised to be a solution to our problems. Have our problems been solved? Lines to the MRT and the LRT have only gotten longer while it is difficult to ride jeeps. Cable cars are not the issue),” she continued.
Brosas added that the implementation of cable cars would require a huge budget, something that she thinks would be better used to alleviate the ills of the current mass public transport system.
Meanwhile, Magsino thinks that cable cars could work for urban transport but clarified that now is not the time to adopt such methods of transport.
“Pwede po itong cable car kung gagamitin po natin for urban transport. Ginagawa na rin po ito sa mga bansa kagaya ng mga Latin American. Kasi kumbaga hindi po yata ito ang tamang panahon at marami pa pong problema na dapat unahin (Cable cars could work for urban transport. Latin American countries use these. However, now is not the right time as there are many problems to put first),” she said.
Lee echoed Brosas's sentiments, saying he would prioritize improving the existing mass transport systems.
“Lahat naman ng suggestions actually welcome... Ang kailangan lang pag-aralan talaga natin yung san kukuha ng budget, paano gagawin. Pero ang pinaka-importante para sakin ay ayusin yung LRT, MRT, tugunan yung mga hinaing ng jeepney drivers, bus operators (All suggestions are welcome... We just need to study where we get the budget, how to make it. But, for me, most important is improving the LRT, MRT, and addressing the complaints of jeepney drivers and bus operators),” Lee said.