(MANILA BULLETIN)

Jobs in the countryside must be well-compensated like the ones offered in Metro Manila.

Trabaho Party-list made this call Tuesday, April 22, as a response to the perennial traffic congestion in the metropolis.

The notion was hatched in light of observations during the recent Holy Week, when the temporary reduction in the volume of vehicles in the National Capital Region (NCR) gave the city dwellers respite from traffic woes.

Trabaho Party-list spokesperson lawyer Mitchell-David Espiritu says that decentralizing economic opportunities is crucial to alleviating urban congestion. 

Espiritu said that by fostering job creation in provincial areas, the reliance on Metro Manila for employment can be reduced, thereby easing the daily influx of commuters and vehicles into the city.

Just how big of a problem is traffic in the NCR? Metro Manila has been ranked as the most congested metropolis globally, with motorists spending an average of 127 hours, or nearly five days, stuck in traffic over a year. 

The average speed during rush hour was recorded at a mere 13 kilometers per hour (kph), according to a study conducted in 2024.

(Trabaho Party-list)

The party-list advocates for government investment in regional industries, infrastructure development, and incentives for businesses to establish operations outside the capital. 

Such measures aim to create a more balanced economic landscape, providing Filipinos with viable employment options closer to their hometowns, says Espiritu.

As Metro Manila continues to grapple with traffic challenges, Trabaho Party-list's call highlights the importance of addressing the root causes of urban congestion through strategic economic decentralization and sustainable job creation in the provinces.