The Dilemma of the MMDA

The Metro Manila Development Authority otherwise known as the MMDA, was established in the 1970s by the Marcos presidency. Under Republic Act 7924, the MMDA was mandated to “The formulation, coordination, & monitoring of policies, standards, programs and projects to rationalize the existing transport operations, infrastructure requirements, the use of thoroughfares, and promotion of safe and convenient movement of persons and goods, provision for mass transport systems and the institution of a system to regulate road users, and administration and implementation of all traffic enforcement operations, traffic engineering services and traffic education education programs, including the institution of a single ticketing system in Metropolitan Manila.[1]”

The MMDA’s programs are all designed in accordance with their mandate, they make every effort to ensure that their programs are for the benefit of Metro Manila, but ultimately, to the motorists that traverse the roads.

MMDA has identified 7 major corridors in which they concentrate their efforts and enforcement on. These are:

• ·      Commonwealth Avenue;
• ·      C-4 (EDSA);
• ·      R-10 (Radial Road 10);
• ·      C-5 (Circumferential Road 5);
• ·      Quezon Avenue;
• ·      Marcos Highway; and
• ·      Mc Arthur Highway.[2]

MMDA believes that concentrating their efforts on these roads and increasing the funding on their development will impact the lives of the Metro Manilans in a bigger way. Though these roads are fewer, they are major thoroughfares.

The MMDA contributes to the traffic situation in Manila in a positive way for a lot of reasons. They create programs that ensure that the motorists have a concrete traffic regulation system to bank on. They have enough personnel to regulate the 7 major corridors of Metro Manila, and the rest of the major roads that they are deployed in. The leadership of MMDA has a strict system of regulating their staff. Any employee who has been reported or complained about is investigated and if necessary imposed with the necessary sanctions. Each of their staff undergoes strict training seminars to ensure that they understand the work that MMDA requires of them.

Problems regarding the effectiveness of their enforcement appear at the lowest level of enforcers. Though the staff of MMDA in the main office takes significant strides to ensure their credibility and integrity, the traffic enforcers and their supervisors are exposed to the lingering notion that they can be bribed. Based on interviews done by the MMDA on their staff, they found that the motorists already try to get out of their violations by giving bribes even when the officers are not asking for them anymore. The reason why these enforcers accept bribes is the fact that they are underpaid. MMDA, being subsidized by the government, is heavily reliant on any funds that the government gives them. This creates a problem because the enforcers need money to sustain their families.

Illegal terminals contribute to the traffic situation and are connected to the MMDA problems because as stated above, the enforcers are underpaid. These terminals give bribes to the enforcers to allow them to conduct their operations in that area. Though the main office is taking significant measures to combat these illegal terminals, they are still there. 

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[1] Taken from PDF: MMDA’s Major Traffic and Transport Programs by Angelito S. Vergel De Dios, Director III Traffic Operations Center.

[2] Taken from PDF: MMDA’s Major Traffic and Transport Programs by Angelito S. Vergel De Dios, Director III Traffic Operations Center.

Energy

     Energy, whenever we hear it we think of alot of things. From electricity to heat, solar, microwave, and chemical. We associate this word to these things. Energy powers our modern way of life. Without it, we would be living in a dark and lonely place. Energy is what keeps us alive, our body processes energy through food so that we would function normally and not die. Electricity, which is a form of energy, is widely used in the world and is what powers everything we use today.

In the Philippines, we get our electricity from fossil fuel power plants, geothermal plants, and hydroelectric plants. We're one of the countries that hasn't switched to nuclear yet due to the fact that there are numerous fault lines in our country. Our electricity however is very expensive. We are ranked 9th out of 44 countries that were surveyed. This is due to the fact that there is a monopoly in power distribution held by Meralco. Our rates are dictated by one company alone. It sucks because you hear about other places wherein the electricity is charged at a fixed rate and not per kwh like what we have here. It's also saddening to hear about some places wherein they harness the power of the tides to generate clean electricity like in Sweden. It's also saddening to know that our hydroelectric plants are not as powerful as they should be and not generating enough to help lower the usage of fossil fuel plants. Nuclear power was proposed before, but the project was discontinued because it was allegedly situated on top of a fault line and thus has a huge potential for danger.

What energy source should we properly tap so that our energy needs will be met properly? Fossil fuels are running out and as we know, it is not a renewable energy source. Our country is waterlocked, meaning we are surrounded by water all over, this would make an ideal location for tidal power, however I found out that it is very very expensive. Solar power might be good, but the space required to generate enough electricity to satisfy the energy needs of Makati for example would just be too great, and space is not something that we have a lot of considering how congested our major cities are.

What I think we should do is to work on what we have existing and maximize its potential. We can use the latest technology for geothermal and hydroelectric plants to have maximum efficiency and potential. We should tap solar plants to power smaller towns so that the electricity generated by the fossil fuel plants are more concentrated on the major cities. We should also find ways to maximize efficiency in our power plants so that the power companies can cut their prices. We should also look into green technology so that we can use renewable sources of energy more efficiently.

Finding better energy sources and maximizing output while minimizing cost is what is needed for our country to have a much cheaper energy cost. We really should find cheaper sources of energy because some people really can't pay for it at the current rates we have.

Development for whom?

When it comes to development, there are many questions that are raised regarding to whom it is aimed at. Some people think that development is smothered with vested interests because those who are developing an area have a hidden agenda in the area that they are working on. Some people say that development damages the culture of the people there because more often than not policies that get implemented are of the "one size fits all" kind. Development is a word that sometimes is hard to describe given the many definitions that are attached to it. What I think about development is that it aims to make people's lives better.

Development through the course of my study here in DLSU has been changed over and over in my head. There was a time that I believed in agrarian reform. A time when I thought that representing the working class is the best way to go. There was even a time when I thought that boosting agriculture is the way to make our country recover. Though I still do believe that agriculture plays a major major role in any economy, it will be left for the next entry.

I think that development should be targeted to those who need them, they should be those who just absolutely have no way to raise their standard of living. Interventions have to be done in order for them to have a better life. In order to institute these development plans, participatory action research must be done first. The people who will benefit from the development plan have to be part of the planning process to ensure that the plan is the best that can be done for them. They themselves must know and realize what they need so that there will be little trouble during the implementation of the program. Generic free size development plans are not the key towards developing people, but rather a plan that is formulated with the people themselves.

Development for whom is a question that will really make you think as to whom development really is for. Development is about the people. It shouldn't be about the companies involved or the governments that would try to take a bite out of the publicity cake. It should be about the people we are trying to help, and the steps we have to take to ensure they get what they deserve. It should start from below, the place where the poorest of the poor live and try to make their lives better. It shouldn't start from above because chances are there won't be any left for those at the bottom. What is needed are responsible elites who really want to make a difference in the lives of people.

Poverty cannot be truly eliminated, but it can be lessened and alleviated. And it takes us, the ones who are educated, to really change something. We have to vote wisely, participate in the decisions that our country is making and ensuring that those in need are taken cared of. We need to be the voice of the people who are usually put at the sidelines. We have to be at the forefront of those wanting to have a better life.

Mindanao

       Earlier this month, we went to Cotabato City for a field trip for one of our major electives. Initially we were a bit scared because the city that we were going to is the seat of the ARMM and is right in the middle of all the events that have happened recently in Mindanao. While waiting for our turn to board the plane we were at the terminal and there were a lot of Muslims sitting there as well. I was fascinated because they were wearing malongs and the prayer caps on their heads. Something stood out for me though, and that was two Muslim women wearing niqabs (full veils covering the face) and it really sunk in that we were going somewhere totally different from what we are used to. 

It is not normal for most of us to see women wearing niqabs. Media has associated the wearing of hijabs, niqabs, and burqas as a bad thing. Because of media, when we see those things we already think of terrorists, jihadists, and suicide bombers. I have to admit I was guilty of thinking of that too. When we rode the plane, that's when my stress levels started rising. Some lady was sitting in my seat because Cebu Pacific (again...) made a double seating and the lady lost her seat. She was refusing to leave despite the flight attendant kindly asking her to leave the chair for the meantime and kept saying that it was alright. But naturally, we wouldn't let our seats go because we chose them. So she conceded eventually. It wasn't a pleasant trip though because there were children EVERYWHERE. And one of the kids sitting behind me kept pulling my hair. My view on them got a bit worse.

When we landed, I was surprised at what I saw. The place is no different than any provincial town in Luzon. With a few exceptions of seeing more military personnel everywhere. The people were very friendly, they were accommodating, and most of all they were smiling a lot. It wasn't a big act or show that they were trying to put on, it was actually real. That's how the people were. That wasn't what the media was showing us. I thought that the moment we stepped foot in Mindanao it was like going into a battlefield. It wasn't

We learned so much from the trip, but one thing I realized is this. The conflict in Mindanao and their development problems cannot be fully addressed if we don't bring all the parties together to come up with a kind of mutual ground. Every group in Mindanao has their own agenda when it comes to their land, and the only way things will work out is if they are all properly represented in a talk that aims to find peace there. The Bangsamoro framework only deals with the MILF and the Government. While the ARMM is between the MNLF and Government. The Bangsamoro framework has a provision that will abolish the ARMM, which will then cause the MNLF to be underrepresented again. It troubled me because the conflict will eventually start again if the Bangsamoro framework doesn't deliver and if it causes the MNLF to be damaged as well. 

In the video that we made for Globdev, we showed what the preconceptions are about the Muslims in Mindanao and we showed the good side. It is my hope that the people of Luzon and Visayas will really start to take notice of the people in Mindanao and do something to help end the conflict that is bogging them down. There will be no end if we continue to be apathetic about Mindanao, and we would just feed the fear that we have about people from there. 

As students of DLSU, we really should do something to help them and not just let fend for themselves. We should do something to make their lives a whole lot better, and we should understand where they are coming from and institute the right policies or concessions that will really benefit them and us.

Mindanao is not as scary as people think, yes there is still violence in some parts. Yes they have their own laws regarding justice and retribution. But as long as you give them the respect that they are very much due, and you give respect to their traditions and culture. Then I don't see any reason why you would have a problem when you visit them. After all, isn't respect something we give to the people of the place that we visit? Shouldn't the Muslims be accorded the same kind of respect?

Stop the stereotyping. Don't believe everything you see in the media until you see it for yourself. 

Air Traffic

In our country, development is everywhere. Buildings are being built in the major cities, tourists are flocking to our vacation spots, and investors are flying in and out of the country. Development has brought a lot of people traffic in our country and our airliners are modernizing their services to keep up.

Over the years that I have been travelling within our country, there were 2 airline companies that I preferred. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific. These two airlines are considered the most advanced carriers in the country because they have a huge budget for upgrading and maintaining their fleet. Philippine Airlines being the country's flag carrier is considered the best airline we have boasting the best aircraft pilots in the business (which is technically true by the way) Cebu Pacific on the other hand boasts the cheapest flights and empowering the average Juan to travel for as low as P1.

When Cebu Pacific started, Philippine Airlines had trouble because Cebu Pacific was giving really low rates almost half of what Philippine Airlines was charging, this caused a lot of people to switch carriers and patronize Cebu Pacific. Because of this bold move, the other airlines started lowering their prices to ensure that they will not be left behind. Of course there is a limit to everything, and some of them were still a bit more expensive than Cebu Pacific.

Every major change in the business has a trade-off, there are some things that will be left out and not worked on so much. Besides the fact that there are no more snacks in Cebu Pacific, there are no check-in allowances as well, and everything has to be paid for. It's the only way they can make the airfare cheaper after all. But one thing that people sometimes take for granted is the fact that most of the time their service is hideous. All they want is your money, and they don't care if your flight gets delayed or if you miss a meeting because of them.

Case in point, we went to Palawan earlier this month. On the day that we were supposed to fly back to Manila, due to some issues we arrived at the airport 30 mins before the flight. The check-in counter was still open when we got in the terminal and we were rushing to get to it. Before our professor was able to reach the counter, the staff closed it. Our professor asked if they can still accommodate us since the plane is still there, but they wouldn't. The professor asked why can't they do it for us considering the fact that they only closed the counter seconds ago, and they only said that it's policy and their usual spiels. So what happened was an endless "conversation" between our professor and the staff and eventually the manager as to what steps we can do to alleviate the situation. After all, we paid for our tickets already. We just wanted to ask if we can take the next flight or whatever option they are willing to give us. They had none, all they said was sorry but you missed your flight. You have to pay a penalty, and the cost of the difference between this ticket and the next one. (Which amounted to nearly php7,000) Naturally there was no way we'd take that. So we asked for other options, the staff were not even paying attention or even concerned enough to help. They gave us looks as if we were stupid people and that they're more superior. They weren't even looking straight at us. Of course being students of DLSU, connections were used and eventually top management was contacted. They found out about their situation and were trying to do something about it. However, we found a better alternative. Airphil, which is owned by Philippine Airlines now. Needless to say, we got a better deal and flew back to Manila the next day.

What saddens me with the situation is that because of profit, some airline companies are neglecting the core of their business. Customer relations. There are news all over the world about airline companies having bad service like Jet Blue in the states. Bad customer service will eventually translate into loss of customers, and if that yellow airline doesn't do something about it. They will eventually lose customers. I for one, and all my friends are never riding Cebu Pac if we can avoid it. The cheaper fare is not worth it compared to how you are treated as a paying customer.

There are a lot of people who are flying into the country these days and if we give them service the way some companies do, then we are painting a bad image to other people. It wouldn't be so bad to get charged for everything and get a low fare, if your service was as good as the promos that you are advertising.

The key to the success of the biggest carriers is their commitment to quality service. Qatar Air, Singapore Air, Delta, etc. Are all known for their great service. That's also the reason why people prefer them. In a more globalized world like what we have, there should be no more discrimination between classes or races. And one of the people that are at the forefront of dealing with the world are airliners because they transit people everywhere. Service plays a major part in development, it should not always be about profit but about making your customer feel valued. Because if they do, they will always come back. And from a business perspective, that's one of the things that you want to happen.

Mining?

Mining.

In the Philippines, Mining has been branded as bad by the media and by the church. According to the church they say that the minerals that are found in the earth are a gift from God and should be left that way. The media never publishes anything about the positive benefits of mining. Some people even go as far as advocating for the closure of mines, the most recent one I've seen is a petition about the mining site in Palawan by Gina Lopez. 

Mining in its nature is really destructive, it is unavoidable. The only way to retrieve the minerals that are found underground is to remove whatever is on top of the minerals and start digging. What causes concern for the people is the fact that the mining companies are removing trees and reportedly damaging the natural environment around the mining site. There were also issues raised concerning the pollution of water due to the tailings dams created by the mines. Environmentalists and Anti-mining supporters all have a lot of negative things to say about mining and most of them have a point. However, most if not all of them generalize mining as a bad thing. They do not care if the firms are small or large. They don't even bother visiting the mining site to verify if their "advocacies" are grounded properly. If ever they do visit, they only want to see the deforested areas, and the barren lands that are still due for digging. 

I went to a mining site recently, it was an exposure trip for one of our major classes called Monitoring and Evaluation. Before we went there, I recalled all my preconceived notions about mining based from media and from opinions of people that I've talked to. Our trip was going to the Rio Tuba Nickel Mining site in Bataraza, Palawan. On our way there, we noticed that the surroundings were getting more and more remote, there were a lot of constructions going on with the roads. It was indicative that development in that area is getting better. 

Upon arrival at the mining site, I was surprised to see an airfield. A private airfield owned by the mining company that is used to bring in VIPs and other supplies to the mining site. The company also had a compound that had probably the best facilities in the area. There was a Health Center which was the most equipped health center in that part of Palawan. It had a La Salle run school which was free for the children of the workers of the mining site, it is worth noting that the quality of education in that school is La Salle standard and the facilities are well-funded including a 10million peso computer lab filled with Apple Computers and gadgets. They also had various facilities for the use of the workers including pools, basketball courts, tennis courts, football fields, Track and Field oval, and many other amenities. They also have housing for their workers which has free electricity and water. For the less fortunate workers, they bring in Gawad Kalinga to create villages for them. 

During our conversations with Mr. JB Baylon, who is one of the top associates for Nickel Asia Corporation, we learned that the company is pumping more than 120 million pesos in funding for the development of the barangays that they are affecting. It was mandated by law, but they chose to also go above and beyond what was expected of them. We also found out about the rehabilitation programs that the company is doing to try to restore whatever destruction they have caused. They even brought us to a rehabilitated area to show the young forest that was starting to grow in it. We were told that highly mineralized soil is not suitable for agriculture because the metal and mineral content of the soil is too high. When they mine out an area, they set aside the top soil, mine the minerals, cover the hole again with the soil and fertilize it with chicken dung and reforest it with native trees. They were successful.

I could go on and on about what I've seen but a reflection on what I saw is not the entire point of this blog. What I'm trying to point out is that mining is not as bad as people say it is. Most of the destruction that people point out are caused by Small Scale Miners who have no care for the environment. They are just there for a quick buck. Their practices are actually dangerous due to the fact that they are not taking the necessary precautions. 

Large scale mining corporations, however, are governed by the laws of the state. They are mandated to be responsible and pay what is due to the government and to the locality that they are in. Yes they still do cause destruction to the environment at the onset of their operation, however, they spend a great deal of money restoring the land back to what it used to be, or even better. 

What large mining companies do is not advertised. They are usually conducting their operations away from the attention of media. The only time they are brought into the spotlight is when snotty environmentalist wanna-bes are advocating against something that they have never been to. Despite repeated attempts by the mining company in Palawan to invite Gina Lopez to visit their site to show her what they do, she keeps turning it down. And yet she continues to advocate against something she hasn't even seen. 

People will always find something to hate about mining, but they fail to understand that it is an industry that they cannot live without. Almost everything we enjoy right now is taken from mining, from the house we live in, the cars we drive, our cellphones, laptops, cameras, buildings, and all the other things that area already rooted in our day to day lives. Mining should be regulated to ensure that people who are affected are getting what they deserve. The mining site we went to was doing more than what was required for them.  

If they truly are advocating against mining, then they should stop using mining products altogether. They should live what they say, and support their advocacies totally. They can say goodbye to social media, cellphones, email, ipads, iphones, watches, cars, houses, and many other things that I am sure they won't give up. 

So why not just shut up?