Wednesday, May 07, 2008 Oledan: Consensus By Radzini Oledan Slice of life
LIMITS will only be in the minds of those who govern.
City Planning and Development Coordinator Mario Luis J. Jacinto succinctly puts it -- the Local Government Code provides wide latitude of prerogatives and initiatives for LGUs to provide efficient services and develop communities.
The ongoing Transport Planning and Traffic Management Workshop for key cities in the country is an eye opener for sectors to get their acts together and work for a common development framework.
There are trade-offs.
While economic efforts may be able to generate jobs and revenue for local residents, these also generate a lot of traffic and pollution.
An efficient transportation system is highly interrelated with the people's quality of life. It is also tied to environmental security, safety, energy, sustainable land use, and air quality.
"There are challenges but they also provide opportunities, especially in ensuring that communities genuinely benefit from the economy," Jacinto said during the opening of the Transport Planning and Traffic Management Workshop.
Jacinto also pointed out that the Traffic Signalization Program would not only ensure safety for pedestrians but also inculcate discipline in the streets. "We have to learn to respect the time and space of others."
Transport management can also take place with a rationalized land use plan that will ensure the efficient use of scarce resources.
"We do not want to see isolated communities where services are unreachable. We do not want to see children unable to finish school or unable to realize their full potential," he added.
The Transport Planning and Traffic Management in Philippine Cities is conducted by a study team from a Japanese consulting firm, Almec, commissioned by the World Bank to carry out the study.
The team is composed of Karen Hulleza-Luna, local gov't and survey coordinator; study team leader and urban transport and institutional specialist Dr. Primitivo Cal; deputy team leader as well as training and capacity building specialist Dr. Hussein Lidasan; Dr. Crispin Diaz, the team's transportation demand management specialist; traffic management and engineering specialist Dr. Jun Castro; public involvement and capacity building associate Engineer Aileen Mappala; transport planning associates Randolph Carreon and Mark de Leon.
Transport planning will benefit local economies and improve the quality of lives. At the end of the day, what is required is proper communication and coordination to evaluate trade-offs, address potential impacts of development decisions, and maximize their benefits in all areas.
Public consensus is needed. Key stakeholders have to be informed to enable them to fully participate in charting the local economy. Email comments to roledan@gmail.com.
