Newly appointed Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon vowed to build active transportation infrastructure, for bikes and walkers, aside from batting for high capacity mass transport system to eliminate traffic congestion in Metro Manila.
“Active transportation, bikes, walking that’s very important. We have to build that, and we have to plan for that. We just have to think out of the box and find ways like the EDSA Greenways. That’s one innovative way of helping our commuting public for those who want to walk,” said Dizon during a press briefing Friday at Malacañang
Dizon added that active transport-friendly infrastructure will attract and encourage more Filipinos to use bicycles and walk to and from their destinations.
“Also making the environment in the city conducive for the people to walk. It’s so important. How can they walk if there is no infrastructure that will allow them to walk?” he pointed out.
He said that high-capacity mass transportation and active transport-friendly spaces will help solve traffic problem in Metro Manila and eventually make the metropolis a conducive environment.
But the the “long-term and ultimate” solution to eliminating traffic in Metro Manila is through mass transportation.
High-capacity mass transport means a mode of transport that can carry hundreds of people in one go. This calls for more train coaches as he stressed the need to finish the construction of subway system with urgency.
The transport chief said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants to speed up mass transit systems for commuter efficiency and help Filipinos veer away from a car-centric mindset.
