Amid traffic woes, DTI says PH invests in ‘right infrastructure’

Amid the worsening traffic situation in the metropolis, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) says the Philippine government has been investing in “right infrastructure.”

“Believe it or not, even though we have this terrible traffic, we do invest in the right infrastructure. We have tripled our infrastructure budget from around P165 billion in 2010 to P535 billion this year,” resigned Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo was quoted as saying in a statement released on Tuesday.

“That explains why we now see many trains, bridges, much better roads, and skyways,” he added.

While admitting that it would take time to fix the monstrous traffic jams plaguing the capital region, Domingo said the effects of an improved infrastructure would be felt by the commuting public and motorists in 2016.

“Traffic will not get better much soon. But, by the end of next year, we will already feel the benefits of an improved infrastructure system,” Domingo said during the Wharton and Penn Alumni Association meeting held last week in Taguig City.

Domingo has resigned from his Cabinet post, but President Benigno Aquino III is yet to act on the matter.

READ: Domingo resigns as DTI secretary

But Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said the “carmageddon” on Sept. 8 which was triggered by torrential rains and flash floods showed the country’s “inadequacy” in road and flood control infrastructure.

“The severe traffic congestion that was triggered by heavy rains and flash floods clearly showed the inadequacy of existing road and flood control infrastructure that will take time to be scaled up,” Coloma said. “Traffic enforcers will also have to work doubly hard to improve their responsiveness.”

READ: After ‘carmageddon,’ Palace admits lack of ample infrastructure

Government agencies concerned in traffic management have drawn flak from the public amid worsening road congestion in Metro Manila, particularly when thousands of commuters and motorists were stranded on the road last week.

The worsening traffic situation in the metropolis is the subject of an ongoing Senate hearing, with traffic executives citing the large volume of vehicles on the road as main culprit.

The Philippine National Police’s Highway Patrol Group was also tasked by President Aquino to enforce traffic law management on Edsa, Metro Manila’s busiest thoroughfare, taking over the duties of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. Yuji Vincent Gonzales/RC

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