Ejercito wants railway projects fast-tracked as NCR traffic gets worse

According to the 2023 TomTom Traffic Index, motorists in Metro Manila reached an average speed of merely 19 kilometers per hour during rush hour in 2023. It still shows in this photo, which was taken at Edsa on Jan. 4, 2024. (File photo by NIÑO JESUS ORBETA / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines – Amid worsening traffic congestion in Metro Manila (or the National Capital Region), Sen. JV Ejercito aired his renewed push for fast-tracking railway projects in the country.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Ejercito appealed to the Department of Transportation and other government agencies concerned to push previously funded rail projects “out of the pipeline.”

“We have to fastrack all railway projects, specifically the north-south commuter [line] in the Metro Manila subway system,” Ejercito said.

He said would continue to advocate for the prioritization and swift implementation of rail projects.

“There’s no more reason to delay. The traffic will just get worse,” he emphasized.

Ejercito then blamed the worsening traffic congestion on “record-breaking car sales” in 2023.

“Data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association state that 429,000 new vehicles were sold in 2023,” he explained.

According to the senator, the trend is poised to aggravate Metro Manila’s traffic situation.

“It may result in an additional two million cars on our roads in the next five years. It should serve as a warning light. The only way out is to put railway projects on the fast track,” Ejercito stressed.

Traffic data provider and location technology specialist TomTom Traffic Index previously disclosed that Metro Manila currently holds the title of being the “world’s worst traffic in metro area.”