Electric vehicle (EV) adoption is accelerating at breakneck speed, thanks largely to number-coding exemptions. But with no strategy to remove aging fleets, Metro Manila’s traffic mess is getting worse, not greener.

Ask EV buyers why they’re switching and the answer is telling: it’s not primarily about saving the planet; it’s about dodging the number-coding scheme. This turns a so-called “eco-revolution” into nothing more than a ticket to an easier daily commute.

Let’s call it like it is: buying an EV is a personal choice, whether for convenience or a climate solution. But the real question is whether the government—especially the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and its attached agencies—has the mettle to prevent Metro Manila from sinking into its own traffic mayhem.

Decades have passed, dozens of transport secretaries have cycled through, and multiple presidents have come and gone, yet the nightmare remains unsolved. It is an undeniable fact that while leadership changes, a lack of common sense apparently does not.

Based on data from the Land Transportation Office (LTO), EV registrations skyrocketed past 41,800 by September 2025 and were on track to top 50,000 by last December. This surge is driven by the “carrots” and frameworks built into the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA).

Riding this wave, the EV sector is primed to become the frontline battleground for the Philippines’ transportation future—a place where sales growth, traffic snarls, and policy will inevitably collide.

Yet, government officials still cling to the claim that EVs—which make up less than five percent of the current fleet—are mere minnows in Manila’s traffic sea. They argue that worries of EV-induced congestion are wildly overblown.

Maybe that’s true for now. But when EVs swarm the roads without the retirement of old gas-guzzlers, the crisis will only spiral further out of control.

To be blunt: Metro Manila’s roads are bursting at the seams because they were never designed for this flood of vehicles. Without proportional expansion of infrastructure, every new car—EV or not—fuels the fire. Traffic won’t ease until people change how they move, or until real, enforceable solutions hit the streets.

What’s truly baffling is the government’s lack of iron will. Vehicles that are 30 or 40 years old still clog our streets, and no serious fleet phaseout is being enforced. Perhaps a smart, targeted ban on vehicles over 20 years old in congested hubs like Metro Manila—while allowing them to roam in less crowded provinces—could unclog the city’s arteries without unfairly targeting the economically disadvantaged.

While we grind our teeth in endless gridlock, our Asian neighbors are proving that with smart planning, even drowning cities can breathe again.

Philippine transport officials are banking on the ₱488.5-billion Metro Manila Subway project and expanded rail networks. This is sensible, but with full operations still years away, the country desperately needs short-term fixes. Currently, the plan on the table is embarrassingly thin.

At the Department of Energy (DOE), the next move is to slap performance efficiency ratings on vehicles. This is intended to push private owners toward greener choices and force government fleets to meet higher standards. In short: if you prefer your old, inefficient car, your wallet will feel the sting.

Across Asia, neighbors aren’t sitting idle. They are fighting traffic with congestion pricing, fleet phaseouts, high-capacity buses, AI-managed traffic, and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure that connects walkways to transit systems.

Singapore, in particular, has been charging its way out of traffic for decades. Its Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system curbs peak-hour buildup and remains a global gold standard. Following this lead, cities like Bangkok, Hanoi, and New Delhi are exploring similar pricing models to discourage unnecessary car trips.

Cities like Tokyo, Seoul, and Beijing run world-class metro systems, proving that efficient public transport is the ultimate weapon against gridlock. Massive rapid transit expansions are also underway in Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, and Kuala Lumpur.

China and Malaysia, on the other hand, are using AI platforms like Alibaba’s “City Brain” to manage intersections, while Seoul deploys drones to monitor congestion in real-time.

Meanwhile, in Metro Manila, neighboring malls act like isolated islands. Without connected walkways, people are forced to drive even for trips of a few hundred meters. Furthermore, road corruption, shady registrations, mysterious U-turns, and sudden one-way streets make congestion worse. No AI can magically fix these; but a competent, gutsy government just might.

Again, we can’t simply blame EV buyers or car owners—they need to get around for work and life. But for goodness’ sake, government officials must summon the brains and courage to fix the traffic for the long haul.

The chaos costs more than frustration: it slashes productivity, inflates fuel expenses, and threatens industries like just-in-time manufacturing and e-commerce. It bleeds the economy of billions in lost gross domestic product (GDP) every year.

Today, Metro Manila wears the unwanted crown of the world’s worst traffic. Let’s pray our economy isn’t the next casualty.