Tag Archives: Metro Manila

Government

AQUINO AND ABAYA GETTING NERVOUS ABOUT THEIR PROMISE TO IMPROVE MRT

Leave a comment
A familiar sight at Metro Manila's MRT stations
A familiar sight at Metro Manila’s MRT stations

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Two years ago, when Philippine President NoyNoy Aquino touted his administration’s accomplishments, he promised to fix the problems that have plagued Metro Manila’s light railway system, the MRT, no later than the end of the year 2015. The mass transport system has been criticized by commuters due to persistent overcrowding, technical problems and overall mismanagement.

In a televised speech, Aquino said that if the problems of MRT were not fixed by the end of 2015, he and his Transportation Secretary Joseph Abaya, will let themselves be run over by the trains. (Dalawa na kaming magpapasagasa sa tren)

Fast forward to 2015, with just 18 days left.  MRT has not improved a single bit, and both Aquino and Abaya are really getting nervous.

They are both known to be men of integrity who honor their word.

Only 18 days left before they fulfill their promise to get run over by the trains.

Government, Law Enforcement, Travel

NUMBER CODING TO BE REPLACED WITH LETTER CODING TO EASE METRO MANILA TRAFFIC

2 Comments

imageMANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Just in time for the holidays, the number coding for vehicles plying Metro Manila’s main thoroughfares will be suspended and replaced with letter coding, a move that officials are confident will finally solve the nightmarish traffic in the metroplis.

The Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program or number coding scheme implemented by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is a huge headache for any car owner. Depending on the circumstances, this rule can mean a day of no commuting for people or families who own only one car.

In a nutshell, this rule prevents car owners from driving in some parts of Metro Manila depending on the last number of their vehicle’s number plate. Those ending in 1 and 2 are not allowed to travel on Monday; 3 and 4 on Tuesday; 5 and 6 on Wednesday; 7 and 8 on Thursday; and 9 and 0 on Friday.

The new letter scheme, a brainchild of Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, works this way:

  • Each registered vehicle will be given a letter sticker to be displayed on the front and rear windows
  • Those with the letters A-G are not allowed to travel on Monday; H-P on Tuesday; Q-V on Wednesday; and W, X, Y and Z on Thursday.
  • Friday is a free for all — all vehicles will be allowed regardless of assigned letter
  • Motorcyles, tricylces and horse-driven carriages (kalesa) are exemptd from letter coding

The new traffic regulations will go into effect on December 1 this year, just in time for the Christmas shopping season.

Motor vehicle drivers are advised to bring their vehicle registrations to their nearest Land Transportation Office  (LTO) to receive their assigned letter stickers.

Economy, Government, International, Politics

PRESIDENT AQUINO: “PHILIPPINES IS NOW OFFICIALLY A RICH COUNTRY”

Leave a comment

imageMANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles® ) – President NoyNoy Aquino will have a lasting legacy to leave behind when his term as president expires in 2016.

Today, Aquino announced that the Philippines is now officially a “rich country,” thanks to his administration’s economic and social programs over the last five years. “We’re now at par with first world countries in the West,” he said.

Aquino made the announcement after receiving a report from the Japanese Cooperation Agency (JICA) confirming that the Philippines is losing 2.4 Billion pesos daily because of the traffic situation in Metro Manila.

The JICA report noted that because of daily congested traffic, workers report late to work, business meetings are cancelled, commercial transactions are  jeopardized, and delivery of goods and services come to a stand still. In other words, productivity is cut by more than half, which is costing both government and private enterprises huge revenue losses.

But Aquino and his technocrat advisers are looking at the positive side to this loss of revenue. The president said that the fact that “our country can afford to lose billions of pesos every single day means we have the money to spare, and only rich  countries have that capability.”

Is it any wonder then that the government seems disinterested in solving the nightmarish transportation and traffic problems of the country, especially in Metro Manila?