Since time immemorial, the past presidents of our country have dreamed of creating an efficient Metro Train System to ease the problem of public transport and traffic. Currently, there are two existing lines for Manila Light Railway Transit (LRT) and one for Metro Railway Transit (MRT) that serve as two of the main means of transportation for commuters in the Metro Manila area. These trains have provided extensive help for passengers, but as the years passed the population has grown and it has been insufficient. Though there have been detailed plans of a network of railway system laid out of a by the past administrations, it has never been pushed through compared to the other projects proposed like reclamation, road constructions and such. Here are some reasons that I believe cause the delay/inability to create these train systems:
- Corruption and Disunion. You would probably say it's a given,but it is worth reiterating. Though the Philippines has a good reputation around the world for tourists, on the contrary, we have also been ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. The municipalities of Manila themselves have their own interests and conflicts too, which cause problems of getting them to work together on a single railway plan. Also, these plans of creating efficient modes of transportation have been robbed of funds and has enriched government official’s personal funds. The bigger the project, the bigger the funds. Even small-time projects have been robbed of finances, how much more are these multi-million operations? The new administration, Duterte administration, is very promising. Let us see how things unfold as the years go by under his government, and how he solves the disunity and corruption that is currently daunting us.
- Implementation Delay. Sad to say, even with enough funds and materials to be used for creating these efficient methods of travel, the roll-out of these projects are terribly turtle-paced. In other countries like China, Singapore, and Malaysia, projects like could be finished as fast as more than over a year, with minimal cost. One problem is that this is more of a vote bait for aspiring politicians and those who want to be re-elected. They propose and start, but never finish. Another problem with the Philippines is roots back to our culture, the ningas-kugon attitude toward work. We are good in starting projects but most of the time end up stagnant somewhere in the middle of the construction. It is not hard to prove that this is true. Just look around the country, even in your local area. I am positive that you will find local and national projects unfinished for how many years. If these local ones cannot be done immediately, how much longer would it take to finish a large scale project such as a metro railway system?
- Immense Squatting. For many years, Manila has always been seen as a way of getting out of poverty for many people in provinces. It has been inculcated to them that when you get to Manila, life is easier and there would be more money. Though this is a hoax, people have still crowded the our nation’s capital. Overpopulation in Manila causes people to illegally occupy lands and areas that are not their own. After staying unauthorized for many years, they claim the land their own. Now when the government tries to build these proposed railways on these grounds, the people who have built their cement homes there would not want to leave; thus hindering the construction.
- Shortage of Land to Build. This one is related to the squatting and overpopulation. Manila is capable of building this railway system if they could only implement regaining illegally owned areas. Opposite to what we are implementing though is that more and more squatters are occupying land that are not theirs. Take for example the Philippine National Railways. They have been around for many years, but now they have lost land and now most of their routes are inaccessible due to illegal settlers who claim the land are theirs. That is not the worst part yet; people are stealing metals from their railroad tracks. When the government tries to impose the law on these settlers, they always retaliate with human barricades armed with emotional weapons of sentimental value on the land they have occupied so long. Sometimes the government succeeds, most of the time they do not. The government sympathizes, and the settlers end up accumulating more land. A vicious cycle, causing more lands lost.
“Dreaming” of a dense Metro Rail System is wonderful, but I am not saying that it is impossible. There are several other reasons I have in mind that I did not write due to time restrictions, but the only way we could create a great, functional train network, including other means of transportation in the Philippines is through change in our government. With the current administration, I am on high hopes that this new legislation could bring an end to the long wait on our dreams.
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