Modernize railway system

FIRST, I would like to congratulate the Inquirer for its timely and informative editorial titled “Railway blues” (Opinion, 5/12/15).

I am one with the Inquirer in its position that there is a need “for a major push in the right direction” in the country’s policy on urban mass transportation.

For many years now, I have been vocal and active in pushing for efficient, cost-effective, environment-friendly and modern urban mass transportation, particularly the development and modernization of the railway system in the country. This is the reason I filed Senate Bill No. 2690 (Philippine National Railways [PNR] Modernization Act). We, in the Philippines, have one of the oldest railway systems in Asia and also one of the first in the region to use the light rail and metro rail; yet the sorry state of our train facilities makes our LRT and MRT the laughingstock not only of our countrymen but also of visitors from all over the world.

We, in the Senate, have also conducted public hearings on why our countrymen continue to patronize the trains, however uncomfortable and risky their travel by them. Their reasons were quite obvious—the use of trains remains the cheapest mode of transportation; and the “old but still running” coaches are relatively the most “dependable and practical” means to hurdle monstrous traffic and congestion in Metro Manila and to reach working places, schools and homes.

While it is apparent that our countrymen are not happy, even cursing and throwing invectives every day as they ride trains, we cannot be contented with this “desperate” situation we are in. There are lots to be done.

After many consultations with stakeholders, meetings with government officials and experts, productive visits in Japan and Singapore and, in the past two months, hearings and briefings from railway and urban planning experts, I am more convinced that it is high time our country pushed for a modern railway system.

I wish that the Inquirer and other media outlets, and the public in general, will support not only the immediate passage of the PNR Modernization Act, but also our plans to establish the National Railways Authority, the proposed amendments to the Light Rail Transit Authority Charter and other endeavors to make trains the “only” viable mass mode of transportation—one that will lead us to a prosperous, environmentally-sustainable, peaceful and industrialized Philippines.

—SEN. JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO,

sjve.media@gmail.com