NCR traffic nightmare this Christmas: a crisis unfolding

As the festive season approaches, with its accompanying flurry of shopping sprees and holiday gatherings, one expectation looms large: traffic. But the state of traffic in Metro Manila this Christmas season has spiraled into a condition that can only be described as chaotic and intolerable, a cruel joke played on the millions who call this congested urban expanse home.

Recent statistics indicate an alarming reality, with over 480,000 vehicles clogging the 23.8 km long EDSA daily —a staggering increase compared to regular traffic volumes. At first glance, one might argue that this rise is just an anticipated seasonal step-up; however, it highlights something much more sinister at play: the ever-deteriorating state of our transportation infrastructure and city planning.

Stretching across the metropolis, EDSA remains a prime arterial road, yet during peak hours, it is often like a parking lot. It’s a scene mirrored by multiple other national roads across the city—C5, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon Avenue, Rizal Ave. Sucat Road, Magsaysay Boulevard, Roxas Boulevard, and beyond, all succumbing to the same fate. Even roads leading to ramps leading toalso congested  Skyway are no exception.   These routes become impassable, turning commutes that should take mere minutes into hours-long odysseys filled with frustration and despair for those simply trying to get home from work or to family gatherings.

The Manila Metropolitan Development Authority (MMDA), the agency entrusted with maintaining order on these vital “National” roadways, seems utterly helpless against the escalating congestion. Their traffic operations are increasingly ineffective, with an evident lack of urgent response to a systemic problem that escalates every day. The failings do not stop there; local government units (LGUs) demonstrate a similar limbo of incompetence when it comes to control of flows in their management of secondary and tertiary roads where alternate routes should exist. Instead, motorist frustration rises as these designated alternatives become just as crammed as main roads due to an obvious lack of coordination and traffic management.

Perhaps the most appalling sight is observed post-5 PM. As the sun begins to set, the commitment of MMDA enforcers evaporates, leaving weary commuters to fend for themselves in navigating the madness alone. This is intolerable and indicates the ineffective deployment of their resources during peak periods. This inconsistency breeds frustration and undermines public trust in our traffic management authorities. For instance, having a strategy to deploy additional personnel during heavy shopping seasons or critical events—like Christmas—particularly during “nighttime”. should be a no-brainer. Is it a problem of compensation and lack of funding?  Whatever, their  failure to deploy and serve the people on the road only suggests that an organization such as MMDA is clearly unprepared to execute its basic mandate.

Even the Philippine National Police’s traffic policemen seem absent when collisions occur, slow to respond to disputes and significantly hampered in their efforts to clear bottlenecks. 

Also, we must pressure local government units to re-examine their traffic flow strategies. Is there effective synchronization of traffic lights? Are secondary roads being utilized properly to divert traffic where necessary? Their local CCTVs can assist in swift identification of jams and prompt law enforcement actions.

This pervasive problem goes beyond just traffic—it signals a substantial failure in governance and urban planning. What makes matters worse is the apparent disdain of our authorities, who repeatedly promised solutions but provide no visible improvements. This relentless decline in mobility exasperates already congested lives, showcasing a clear disconnect between public sentiment and the bureaucratic response to the growing crisis.

The effect of this traffic nightmare cascades through society. People arrive late for work, school, and essential appointments. School children miss classes, businesses lose revenue due to delayed deliveries, and the psychological strain on citizens is palpable. It is not merely an inconvenience; it’s a detrimental blight on the quality of life that residents should rightfully expect. This inefficiency robs productivity and negatively impacts mental health, further pushing the narrative that we are living in a city nonchalantly overseen by mismanagement and neglect.

As we march into another holiday season, sparked with joy and wonder, imagine our retail establishments overwhelmed as customers flock to secure gifts and gather provisions. Yet, instead of unfettered access, they are met with gridlock; shopping frenzy quickly turn into vehicular purgatory, mirroring the frustrations felt year after year.

What exacerbates this situation further is the prevailing lack of long-term strategic plans from our leaders. Where are the innovative solutions to improve public transport?

It is high time that the Philippine government acknowledges this dire predicament and acts decisively to address it—not just with temporary fixes, but with sustainable solutions that will redefine urban mobility in Metro Manila.

Urgent measures must be implemented. Moreover, decisive action should be taken against violators clogging the flow, improving, and enforcing regulations that prioritize public transport systems. What has happened to the non-contact apprehension laws that still pends in the Supreme Court?

This article isn’t meant simply to lament over the state of traffic; it seeks to ignite a flame of urgency and purpose in saving Metro Manila from its present chaotic urban labyrinth.   As we inch closer to the long-awaited Christmas season—often associated with joy, family, and celebration—let us also stir a collective movement towards a future where we are no longer prisoners of congestion.

Let us make noise to push MMDA chairman Atty Romando Artes and PNP-HPG chief

PB Gen William Sagun into creative action in solving this ongoing “Carmageddon” or “Carpocalypse” in all of our “National” roads such as EDSA, C5 and others.  Let us make noise so that the Metro Manila council headed by San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora, and every city mayor would task their respective LGU traffic enforcers to manage and solve the congested flows in “secondary” and “tertiary” roads, which are essentially their jurisdiction and prime responsibility.

It’s time to break this  Yuletide  cycle of poor planning and inefficiency in Metro Manila.  It’s time to make sure this festive season doesn’t come with heavy traffic chains attached. Because it’s not just about getting from point A to B—it’s about the quality of our lives as we journey through this seasonal wonder, we call home.