Publication

Sustainable Public Transportation Planning In The Philippines

The Philippines has long been struggling with adapting to a people-centered transport system. The tenacity of low-quality public transit services, lack of real-time transit data, and insufficient information for planning and operations contribute to an enduring 'survivalist' culture for every day commuters. SafeTravelPH, with the support of the FNF Philippines, has identified key problems and barriers that impede the implementation of smart mobility concepts and cooperative governance. By addressing these challenges, we can strive towards safe, integrated, and an environmentally conscious public transport planning.

With this handbook, SafeTravelPH seeks to address several impediments by emphasizing the importance of collaborative governance, technology deployment, capacity building, and urban transport planning. Among the initiatives presented in this framework is the collection of data for Local Public Transport Route Plans, which will benefit from aggregate information on vehicle trips, commuter travel patterns, road network inventory, and service quality indicators. By gathering information from both transport users and providers, local government units can ensure safe and reliable vehicle operations, as well as inclusive transport plans.

This study also outlines a series of activities to evaluate and assess tricycle operations (a traditional public transportation unit prevalent in regional communities of the country). These activities include collecting data on tricycle operational characteristics, conducting policy capacity surveys, and deploying real-time monitoring systems. Tricycle planning and operations have not received adequate attention in formal government reports and guidelines with the immediate national response simply to ban tricycles on national roads. Governments struggle with the practicality and poor public response from such a ban. This analysis acknowledges how tricycles play a significant role in urban areas. It proposes a rationalized and participative approach to transport planning that is crucial for a just transition to low-emission mobility that would benefit both parties.

This framework seeks to lay the foundation for sustainable and safe public transport planning in the Philippines. By addressing the identified challenges and involving various stakeholders, this handbook aims to create a guide for building a transport system that is environmentally sustainable, economically viable, and inclusive for all.