MMDA chair does politics while NLEX traffic worsens

Why is MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino so quiet lately? Well, Tolentino has designated another person to speak for and on his behalf about metro traffic. And do you know why Tolentino wants to evade such traffic-related questions? Well, Tolentino thinks it might affect his chances of winning a senatorial spot come 2016.

Yes, guys, Francis Tolentino, the man behind all those traffic and garbage problems in Metro Manila, is thinking or actually preparing for a run at the Senate come 2016, sources say.

Tolentino, sources at the MMDA says, is running under the Liberal party of DILG secretary Mar Roxas. Sources say Tolentino has likewise intimated his desire to run in a political party of the Vice president Jejomar Binay, so there is a possibility that Tolentino will be a common candidate of both parties. Such strong connections eh?

Fact is, last Friday up to Sunday, while everybody is all frenzied up due to that serious traffic along NLEX, Tolentino is seen with several people, leading a program to declog Manila bay of trash. Nothing suspicious about this, since garbage management is part of MMDA responsibilities. However, where is the priority here? While people are agonizing over traffic in the North, here you have your MMDA chairman fraternalizing with several people, even laughing, and some even asking him about his political plans in 2016. Hey, Mr. Tolentino, what's up?

IBAGSAK SI PNOY DAHIL SA MMDA BUS TERMINAL PLAN

The problem with this administration, they don't seem to care whenever they're "bosses", meaning the "Filipino people" cry out of frustration.

I've been writing against this purported MMDA bus terminal plan with gusto precisely because I believe the plan is anti-poor and patently stupid.

Studies already show that 2.5 million commuters will be affected if this plan is implemented, but because our leaders right now act like conos denied of their candies, the MMDA thru its capricious Chairman Francis Tolentino still insists on pushing through with this stupid plan.

Look at what happened today? Thousands upon thousands of poor commuters got stranded today all because of this idiotic plan by Tolentino. I know Tolentino is just following orders from his true "boss", President Aquino.

It seems that whenever there is a plan that will directly affect the lives of poor Pinoys, that would make Pinoys poorer and their sufferings more intolerable, this administration proceeds without batting an eyelash.

Of course, only those members of the middle class who drive their own cars, will benefit from all of these. Yet, the hapless commuters!

How many thousands lost their day's pay today due to being late? How many students got stuck in traffic? How many people lost an opportunity to land a job today? How many lost income because of the humongous traffic caused by this stupid, and idiotic plan?

Of course, none of these officials of ours, even want to consider these peoples' welfare, because they are all nameless and Status-less!!

Nagiging pahirap na sa mamamayan itong pamahalaan na ito.

Siguro panahon na para ipanawagan ang kanyang pagbagsak. Abangan!!

MMDA, anti-mamamayan, anti-poor!

MMDA, sinong kikita dyan sa central bus terminal plan?

MMDA, ibagsak!!!!

Chaos expected when MMDA insists on bus terminal relocation

Sources say MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino is a stubborn man. Like a true-blue peninsulares, Tolentino imposes his own will against any other, alienating well-meaning groups whose only concern is to stabilize the present chaos along EDSA. Tolentino acts like an ordinary mayor.

This explains why I shudder at the very thought that Tolentino wants his hair-brained traffic scheme tested by August 6, Tuesday. By next week, Tolentino's Uniwide South terminal will be opened to public use. Provincial buses coming from Cavite will be constrained to stop at this terminal, pay as much as 500 per 25 minutes of use, and thereby burden people with cargoes.

Imagine the humonguous traffic such a scheme will do in a very small area such as Coastal Road and Roxas boulevard. Since cars will now converge in this one area, this will surely create a bottle neck. As any other motorist know, any bottleneck in any spot in the Metro will surely cause traffic along the road where the bottleneck is at. This bottleneck will be permanent. Imagine how this scheme will cause along Roxas Boulevard where trucks use too.

I shudder at the thought of this implemented along EDSA.

2.5 million commuters to be affected once MMDA implements bus ban on EDSA

More than 2.5 million commuters, mostly transients from outlying provinces such as Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Rizal and Laguna will be severely affected once the MMDA implements its capricious plan of relocating provincial bus terminals away from their present locations.

Ninety one percent, says Elvira Medina, president of the National Commuters Protection, of commuters is against the bus relocation plan, saying that this will cost them more transport money, more time to go to their workplaces and will probably affect bus fares, since government, thru the MMDA will impose a 350php terminal fee for every bus that uses the terminals.

In an interview, Medina says the MMDA plan is actually okay if Metro Manilans are prepared. Had government built an integrated intra- and inter-city modal system, such schemes would have been possible. In our time right now, such ideas will just bring chaos and confusion.

MMDA plans to implement a unified bus terminal system. The plan says that provincial buses plying the North Luzon route should use the Trinoma terminal. Those coming from Cavite and using Coastal mall, should use the Uniwide bus terminal. The festival mall in Ayala Alabang will serve those coming from the Southern corridor while in the East, there is a plan to rent out the Robinsons East mall.

What the scheme will do is this:

1. If you're a commuter coming from, say Bulacan, you will need to ride a provincial bus going to Trinoma. From Trinoma, you will then ride another public transport, either a city bus or a jeepney or a tricycle. Imagine the chaos this will cause since: extra city buses will then converge in this area aside from additional taxis, mini-buses, jeeps and private vehicles which will all go to this singular area to fetch those commuters.

2. People say, commuters should use the MRT. The MRT can only accommodate 850,000 passengers in a single day. Imagine the long lines and chaos if that extra 2.5 million transient commuters use the MRT line.

3. Of course, several commuters will use taxis. Additional taxis going to this area will definitely add more pressure and vehicular volume. This segment of EDSA will definitely turn into a chokepoint, instead of freeing EDSA of traffic.

4. What about commuters who carry cargo? Small-time vegetable dealers use provincial buses as their primary freight mode of transport. where will they place their cargoes? unto jeepneys and taxis? City buses and MRT do not have cargo bays.

In sum, this MMDA plan is headed for a disaster. MMDA plans to have a dry-run this Thursday and operationalize the Southern bus terminal by August 6.

I admire MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino. Pero, sir, you are creating a potential public riot if you implement this.

Even if this pushes through, this will only de-clog EDSA by 6% since all provincial buses comprise about 6% of the total volume of vehicles plying the highway, once, twice and thrice a day.

Lacierda and the Philippine media

Edwin Lacierda, I was told, committed another faux pas yesterday. He broke the story about Memorandum Circular No. 2 to a popular TV network first before the Malacanang Press Corps.

That is not a neophyte blunder anymore. That is a willful act. What Lacierda fails to recognize is simply the effects of such acts to the assigned reporters in Malacanang.

Imagine the humiliation some reporters got from their desk editors when they failed to get the first stab at that story. It was not a minor story. It was a major one because it involved the lives and careers of government officials.

Mia (Gonzales), the incumbent MPC president, should do something about this.

Another official who got the media ire was new MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino. Tolentino's spokesperson, a certain Yves, reportedly gave GMA 7 reporter Lala Roque the wrong cellphone number of Tolentino.

Remember that it was Tolentino who gave ABS-CBN 2 thru DZMM that story of a cache of money reportedly being given by bus companies to MMDA officials as tongpats.

Why are these officials so fearful of media?

Media should be a strong ally of the new administration. This early, however, media is now being relegated and sidelined.

Media is the strongest feedback mechanism that government has.

I think this new administration should think that they are operating not as a campaign machinery anymore nor Aquino's propagandists. They are now government's official news agency. They should think like that, otherwise, after 100 days, they'll surely encounter a rougher road than what they expect.