Cars choking Manila, but road pricing is a bad idea

ABS-CBN News: "MANILA - The government is pushing for higher excise taxes on cars to divert motorists to public transportation, boosting efforts to untangle chronic traffic jams, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said Tuesday.
Dominguez said the automobile tax, if approved by Congress, should take effect in 2018, giving authorities ample time to fix the country's rail systems and put in place alternative modes of transport such as bus rapid transit lines."

Road pricing will just add more bureaucracy, generate calls of unfairness, and divide people. Just make the buses fare-free and respond to demand. People will vote with their seat.

Fresnedi gives free e-jeep rides to yellow card holders

The Standard: "Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi is treating the city’s yellow card holders to a E-Jeepney for Free program in line with its bid to be the greenest city in the country by deploying electric vehicles."

Stop planning. Makes buses fare-free and people will show you where the needs are

Cebu Daily News: "The Duterte administration, as well as local government units in Cebu, will have its hands full in trying to select which projects it should prioritize.

Cable cars? Bus Rapid Transit? Light Rail Transit? Subways? Airports?

Where should these projects be implemented to achieve the maximum benefit for both the commuting public and motorists? The key, I think, lies in effective master planning by the agencies concerned."

Pasig City launches free bus service at Ortigas Center

Inquirer News: "MANILA — The local government of Pasig City launched on Wednesday (June 22) a P3.3-million bus service that will ferry the public for free within the Ortigas Center in an effort to not only reduce the volume of cars plying the route but also ensure a much cleaner air in the business district.

Mayor Maribel Eusebio, who led the launch, said that a study of the Pasig City Land Use and Transport has identified the low level of efficiency of the public transportation passing through Ortigas Center as among the problems that the city government must address immediately."

Solar bus gives free rides

Sun.Star : "GREEN bus passengers will be ferried for free around the City.
Designated stops for the newly launched solar bus are Igorot Park – Harrison Road – BCNHS - BGH Rotunda – Kisad Road – Children’s Park/ Athletic Bowl – Harisson Road – Magsaysay Avenue – Bonifacio Road – SLU Rotunda.
The route is designed to go in and around Baguio’s central business district with designated pick-up and drop-off points."

Elites love BRT, but real solution is Free Public Transport

rappler.com : "At the Rappler senatorial debate on Friday, April 15, the candidates highlighted the need to improve public transportation, with two bets – Valenzuela Representative Sherwin Gatchalian and former Akbayan party list representative Walden Bello – specifically citing the bus rapid transit (BRT) system."

BRT is a favorite right now, because it is cheaper than MRT. But the 2 percent who own cars take up 45 percent of the road. A more dramatic fix is needed. That fix is fare-free buses... and lots of them.

Filipino commuters suffer in a system that favors cars

rappler : "Rush hour or not, EDSA seems perpetually stuck in a state of congestion. Cars crawl along the 23.9-km highway and easily spend at least an hour in non-moving traffic. Commuters spill out onto the streets, fighting each other for standing-room space in crowded buses. Overhead, one of the metro’s train lines chug along dilapidated rails, carrying twice its maximum capacity. It’s considered a good day for commuters if the train doesn’t suffer yet another technical glitch."

Road-sharing campaign comes to ‘killer highway’ this Sunday

Inquirer News : "Citing the success of the “Bayanihan sa Daan” road-sharing event held on Roxas Boulevard last month, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will do a repeat on Sunday, this time on Commonwealth Avenue.

The agency on Thursday said the March 6 activity would cover the northbound lanes of Commonwealth, from Philcoa to Sandiganbayan in Quezon City."