Last Nov. 15, President Marcos inaugurated five new stations of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), running from Baclaran to Sucat, Parañaque City. Mr. Marcos said it is another milestone in making the country’s transport system “more seamless” and modern, which will improve the traffic situation in the southern part of Metro Manila. Five more stations are planned to be set up soon—two in Las Piñas City and three in Bacoor City.
During his speech, however, I noticed that the President was only conscious of one function of the railway system—as a facility that will reduce traffic congestion caused by the use of cars by resorting to the alternative use of cheap and efficient train travel. I was expecting him to mention another major function of the train system, and this pertains to the concept of transit-oriented development or TOD. This promising strategy refers to the creation of compact, integrated, pedestrian-oriented, and mixed-use communities centered around train stations. The high-density development features public spaces, green spaces, housing, offices, markets, and other amenities. It is not enough to simply connect cities through train terminals; the benefits of railway development can be maximized through efficient land use and economic development while reducing the need to travel and rely on private vehicles.
I cannot understand why the Department of Transportation (DOTr) promoted this concept only in July 2023 when it signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development to align their efforts on TOD development. Under the MOA, the DOTr will not only prioritize the development of an efficient transportation system but also the settlement needs of families residing within the areas of projected railway lines. It may be noted that the TOD concept has long been promoted in other countries such as seen in the successful systems in Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and Washington.
It should be mentioned that the TOD is another way of decongesting Metro Manila aside from the government’s implementation of its “dream plan” that creates a ladder-form structure of roads crisscrossing through Metro Manila. If strategic TODs located in the suburbs and rural areas of Metro Manila can be made residential attractive, they can even attract metropolitan residents to relocate.
Another related function of the TOD is that in the process of integrating and optimizing land use, it counters urban sprawl in suburban and rural areas that leads to increased car use and wastage of agricultural land. A good TOD site development plan can also induce economic stimulation through the entry of commercial and infrastructural investments. Lastly, the TOD and the whole railway system can reduce the metropolis’ carbon footprint or negative impact on the environment with the reduction of private vehicles on the road.
It may be mentioned that the TOD concept would have the most tangible effects in rail lines such as the North-South Commuter Railway and the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 that extend to suburban and rural areas, as well as the MRT Line 1 that extends to suburban Metro Manila.
MELITON B. JUANICO,
melitonbjuanico@gmail.com