HOTSPOT
Tonyo Cruz
There are a lot of reasons to be angry nowadays, this early in 2023. But I take inspiration from folks who courageously propose brilliant solutions and alternatives to problems. Special kudos to those whose ideas focus on empowering the poor and working people.
We may have less onion supply now but there’s no shortage of big ideas. They make public officials seem petty and chicken-hearted. More importantly, they give people the sense of hope that there's a way out of the predicaments that we face. In addition, they seem to be the antidote to despair and cynicism.
For instance, I am excited that we have a growing number of bikers and cyclists who demand bike lanes and car-free days. They promote cycling as a healthy, environmentally-responsible and quicker mode of transportation. They stress that bikes don’t hog the streets and don’t cause traffic jams. They zip through the streets, compared to the gas-chugging and space-hogging cars and SUVs that now monopolize EDSA and everywhere they go.
The biking and cycling community find common cause among those who promote mass transportation. Massive improvements in mass transportation like dispatching more buses and more train coaches, constructing more train lines, and reducing car usage, would mean more space for bikes and the bikes could be taken on buses and trains. This won’t be the first time this would be done in human history. This is being done in many parts of the world. Bikes form part of mass transportation networks.
Commuters nationwide should get organized, and demand fair commuter representation in the formulation of transportation policies. Indeed, why should those who don’t take public transportation be the ones who would solely decide on matters pertaining to public transportation? Public officials who are mostly private motorists and have no experience in the daily grind of commuters could be one of the reasons why transportation policies and programs are favorable mostly to private motorists. The big idea here is championing commuter representation and a direct say on transportation and public works policy formulation.
Just imagine if commuters are adequately represented in the transportation and public works departments, and if their views are pro-actively sought by Congress. They would most probably ask officials every time and all the time a new policy would be unveiled:
“What’s in it for commuters? Would that help the commuting majority? Or would that make commuting more difficult than it already is? Are these new expressways solely for private motorists? What’s the schedule for the use of these new infrastructure by public buses? When would the metro rail and train systems provide coaches for cargo? Would the subway and new train lines also have adequate storage for commuter cargo? If one of the new train lines would be connected to the airports, commuters would surely demand coaches exclusive for those going to the airport.
The critical-minded commuters would also take a second look at Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) services such as Grab. They would demand the disclosure of the number of cars enrolled in this service, and discover that the TNVS have also contributed to the growing volume of cars in Metro Manila and the suburbs. I’m pretty sure that alongside insisting the immediate start of construction of new train lines and bus stations, they would demand a programmed phaseout or reduction of cars on the roads.
Many car manufacturers and those that finance car loans have lobbyists, publicists and PR campaigns. Commuters practically have none. The voice of commuters should be able to pierce through their PR offensive, and empowered to promote mass transportation that’s fit for a growing and developing country such as ours.
Come to think of it, given the outcome of the last elections and how the new government has so far performed its duties, our main problems could not merely be incompetence, corruption, negligence and foreign interference. We don’t need any more explanations about these causes of our headaches and heartaches. Competing with them now is the sense of despair and cynicism.
I mean, yes, let’s be mad about the situation. But this fury — a sign that we care — must lead to diagnosing the problem and finding solutions, promoting them, organizing and mobilizing people for them. Along the way, we discover a lot of common ground, rise above differences, focus on solving the problems, and make politics work for the poor and working people.
Yes, it is up to us to make 2023 a year of big ideas and collective action.