MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) held their fourth coordination meeting to tackle traffic management issues in Metro Manila.
MMDA Chairman Romando Artes and 17 Manila local government units (LGUs) met with JICA representatives for their 4th Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) Meeting for the Comprehensive Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) earlier this week, the MMDA said in a statement Friday.
The #MMDA, together with the representatives from Japan International Cooperation Agency, 17 Metro Manila LGUs & concerned national agencies, held the 4th JCC Meeting for the Comprehensive Traffic Management Plan for the Metro Manila Project.
Read more: https://t.co/FgtKhuxx5D pic.twitter.com/Oxlz7NI7ru
— Official MMDA (@MMDA) June 24, 2022
The JICA Project Team presented the summary of a five-year action plan, emphasizing traffic management issues, interventions concerning traffic congestion, and existing signal systems and capacity building in engineering, enforcement, education, road safety, and active transport, according to the MMDA.
READ: Japan to assist MMDA craft 5-year traffic management action plan
“To ensure execution of the plan, the MMDA, in its capacity, will carry out its commitments to the strategies and projects in the action plan,” said Artes during the meeting.
“We are also currently implementing several recommendations from the action plan through the agency’s mandates and have produced significant improvements,’ he added.
According to the JICA Project Team, improvement measures to alleviate traffic bottlenecks in Metro Manila are intersection geometry upgrades, signal timing optimization and new signal installation, pavement marking adjustments, and standardized traffic signs.
Artes believed that the CTMP would strengthen the traffic management capabilities of the National Capital Region. He, thus, urged the LGUs and national agencies to participate in mitigation efforts to address traffic conditions in Metro Manila.
READ: Metro Manila traffic: 2nd worst in the world – report
Project Team Lead and Road Traffic Specialist Seiya Matsouka said that all sectors must coordinate closely to address traffic management issues effectively.
Artes also requested technical assistance from JICA in developing the Intelligent Transport System in Metro Manila, utilizing innovative Japanese technology to better the flow of traffic in the region. — Iliana Padigos, INQUIRER.net trainee
RELATED STORY
Metro Manila vehicular volume may breach pre-pandemic level by June – MMDA