DAVAO City Councilor Bonz Andre Militar has proposed using artificial intelligence (AI) to modernize the city’s traffic management system amid worsening congestion.
Militar, chair of the City Council’s Committee on Information Technology, said the city’s traffic lights are outdated, still operating on fixed timers that waste time, fuel, and patience.
“We cannot solve 2026’s traffic problems with 1990s technology. Digitalization must be felt on the streets, not just on a computer screen,” Militar said during his privilege speech Tuesday, February 24, at the Sanguniang Panlungsod.
Under his proposal, an AI-driven traffic light system would analyze real-time traffic volume and adjust signal timing accordingly. Cameras would monitor intersections and major thoroughfares, optimizing green-light duration and reducing stop-and-go driving.
“The system will perform real-time analysis of every lane. It will generate the proper time to change lights based on actual volume, ensuring that no green lights are wasted on an empty road,” Militar said.
The system would also detect accidents or stalled vehicles, create countdowns, and help prevent traffic jams. Emergency vehicles, including ambulances and disaster response teams, would get priority green lights, while the Davao City Bus System would benefit from improved reliability.
Militar described the system as a practical tool that is part of the city’s broader digitalization agenda and its vision to become a smart city. He said the initiative would make streets safer, reduce commuting time, and improve the city’s economic efficiency.
He added that through the AI traffic management system, the city would be able to make the streets safer and the economy more efficient. He said that the AI traffic management system is not only about enhancing traffic operations but also about giving back the hours that workers and students have lost while stuck on the city’s roads.
“Through the AI traffic management system, we can give back hours that workers and students have lost stuck on the roads,” he said. “This is the first step toward a smarter, faster, and better-connected Davao.”
Militar moved for his privilege speech to be considered on first reading. RGP