Motoring Today Column

Nov 30, 2022

It's no surprise that traffic congestion is getting worse as we get deeper into our long celebration of the Christmas holidays.

Nothing suggests that we're back to normal more than horrific holiday traffic in the metro.

People are no longer afraid of crowds and malls that are crowded with early holiday shoppers, reunions are happening all over, and already Christmas parties are planned or even happening.

And this means the metro streets are congested even after midnight.

Coincidence or not, it's the right time for the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) the local government units making up the metro, and national government agencies to be talking about how to improve traffic in the next five years if not just for this Christmas holidays.

In a press statement, the MMDA said the metro LGUs and national government agencies have committed to work together to implement a five-year action plan to ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila.

The five-year plan will follow the recently completed Project for Comprehensive Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) for Metro Manila funded by the JICA or the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

During the last Joint Coordination Committee Meeting for the JICA-fund project, MMDA Acting Chairman Atty. Romando Artes said with the approval of the five-year plan comes the next step which is implementation.

The implementation stage is where many projects fail, so it's heartening to hear Artes say: "Continuous coordination, role-sharing, funding, monitoring, and evaluation-these are critical matters that must be addressed."

MMDA Acting General Manager Engr. Baltazar Me lgar also indicated something where a lot traffic management projects fail, saying: "a concerted action is needed to address the traffic problem, which requires involvement, participation, and dedication."

Emphasizing the need for commitment and coordination, Takema Sakamoto, JICA Philippines's chief representative said: " No one can resolve the chronic traffic jam in Metro Manila alone, but if we all work together, we are optimistic that there is hope for improving the traffic situation. If we strongly bond together, we can achieve continuous economic growth and attain the quality of life for every Filipino."

The MMDA, LGUs and national government agencies should take Takema Sakamoto's words to heart as well as JICA's expressed commitment to support efforts to address traffic congestion by offering to share Japan's experiences in traffic management, particularly in intelligent transportation systems, and in private-public partnerships.

The approve plan covers 12 strategies.

The MMDA said the most urgent is to complete the improvement of the 42 traffic bottlenecks identified by the CTMP Project and the signal system.

That's a lot of bottlenecks which must be addressed.

Other strategies that need to be implemented and coordinated include further improving traffic corridors; enhancing the intelligent transportation system (ITS); strengthening traffic regulations, enforcement, and road safety; promoting active transportation, and developing a comprehensive traffic management database.

EV Myths

Kia Philippines is preparing the way for the arrival of the Kia EV6 at local dealerships by debunking several myths that may be discouraging people from acquiring BEVs or Battery Electric Vehicles.

One myth is about long charging times. Kia says depending on the kind of charger used, an EV6 can reach a 100 percent charge from 10 percent charge in 90 minutes using a 7kW AC charger, or in 50 minutes with an 11kW AC charger.

Addressing fears of limited charging stations, Kia cites Ayala Land which is establishing more and more charging stations with 21 already activated in several areas.

Debunking the myth about limited range, Kia says the EV6 GT-Line offers a fully-electric, zero-emission powertrain configuration with a long-range (77.4 kWh) high-voltage battery pack. The EV6 can travel over 500-kilometers on a single charge.

Kia also addresses concerns about the supposed high cost of BEV maintenance, pointing out that EVs don't require constant replacement of engine oils, transmission fluids, and other lubricants in cars powered by internal combustion engines. This alone results in significant savings.

Finally Kia says concerns about BEV safety should be allayed by the EV6 earning accolades, includingEuropean Car of the Year 2022 Award and a 5-Star Euro NCAP rating.

Honda BR-V

Honda Cars Philippines has formally launched the All New BR-V, now looking more like an SUV while retaining the utility and comfort of a seven-seater compact MPV.

Honda expects the All New BR-V, with its new look and upgraded safety features to help boost its share in the local market in the coming year.

Says Honda Cars Philippines president Masahiko Nakamura: "With this new model want to expand our market share and we also want to expand our volume. For the next year, we are targeting 20,000 units with five percent market share."

Atty. Louie Soriano, general manager for the HCPI sales division , adds: "With the introduction of this new model, we'd like to achieve a wider market share. We're looking at about 800 to 900 units per month."

Happy Motoring!!!

For comments & inquiries:

(email) sunshine.television@yahoo.com

(website) www.motoringtoday.ph