New Transport Secretary Vince Dizon takes his oath before President Ferdinand Marcos on Feb. 21 in Malaca帽ang (Photo from Presidential Communications Office)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants to veer away from a transportation system centered on private cars, said Department of Transportation (DOTr) chief Vivencio 鈥淰ince鈥� Dizon on Friday.
Dizon made the pronouncement during a Palace press conference when he himself admitted that the current transportation system is too 鈥渃ar-centric.鈥�
鈥淎bsolutely, it鈥檚 true. In the past the solution to traffic has always been building roads, the problem with building roads, building roads attracts more cars. That鈥檚 just how it is,鈥� said Dizon.
鈥溾�楤uild wider streets, and of course, buying cars is also a function of the development of our fellow countrymen, so we have to veer away from that and I think we are veering away from that and that is what the President wants,鈥� Dizon added partly in Filipino.
According to Dizon, creating new roads is not the 鈥渦ltimate solution,鈥� but rather a 鈥渉igh-capacity mass transit鈥� and making cities more conducive to walking.
鈥淲e just have to think out of the box and find ways鈥攍ike the [Edsa Greenways] that鈥檚 one innovative way of helping our commuting public who want to walk,鈥� Dizon said, referring to a project announced in 2024 which seeks to improve the pedestrian environment in Edsa.
READ: DOTr announces Edsa Greenway project
Meanwhile, when asked if he is open to proposing schemes such as four-day work days, congestion fees, or the closure of some roads to private cars, Dizon responded in the negative.
Dizon explained that apart from the fact that it is not solely his purview to implement such decisions, solutions to these problems must first be studied to ensure that it will have a positive impact on commuters.
鈥淲e鈥檒l just have to find ways. We鈥檒l just have to find ways to balance everything kasi it鈥檚 a balancing act eh,鈥� he said.