Tagle: Behavior amid traffic reflects one’s character

In this Jan. 10, 2015 photo, Manila Archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle talks about the forthcoming visit of Pope Francis during a forum with students in Manila, Philippines. Pope Francis will be welcomed in the Catholic heartland on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015, by the Filipino cardinal who might one day succeed him: a boyish-looking priest who rode the bus as a bishop and has impressed many with a humble life, intellect and compassion for the poor. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

How Filipinos behave amid the woeful traffic situation in the country, particularly in the metropolis, is reflective of their character as a person, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle said on Tuesday.

“Ang ating traffic po ay larawan din ng ating mga ugali; Tayo ba ay mapagbigay? Tayo ba ay mainitin ang ulo? Tayo ba ay laging nag-uunahan o tayo ay may kakayahan na magbigayan?” Tagle said over church-run Radyo Veritas.

(Our traffic situation is a reflection of our character; Are we giving? Are we hot-headed? Are we impatient or we capable of being generous?)

Tagle said traits like patience, generosity and selflessness can be seen through the public’s behavior on the road.

While calling on authorities to prioritize urban planning, Tagle said compassion for others will help ease, if not solve, the traffic woes that commuters and motorists suffer every day.

“Nananawagan po tayo sa mga may responsibilidad sa tinatawag po nating urban planning, sana po ang pag-aayos, pagpaplano ng ating mga siyudad, ng ating mga kalye ay maging isang prayoridad upang ang ating buhay ay maging maginhawa,” Tagle said.

(We are calling on those responsible for the so-called urban planning, I hope you prioritizing fixing and planning our cities and roads to make our lives more comfortable.)

Tagle also noted the importance of regulation and “proper monitoring” to make sure that a reasonable number of vehicles pass through a road at a certain time.

“Ipatupad ang pagkontrol sa paglalabas ng mga bagong sasakyan upang mabawasan ang bilang nito sa lansangan,” Tagle said.

(The release of new vehicles should be controlled so as to limit their number on the roads.)

“Konting realistic, kung alam naman natin na dadaloy dito ay limang libong sasakyan, sana naman mayroon tayong pamamaraan na pagmonitor. Ang kaya lang ng kalye ay limang libong sasakyan pero limampung libo na ang nakasiksik, paano pa aandar ‘yan,” he added.

(Let’s be realistic, if we know that roads can only accommodate 5,000 vehicles, there should be a way to monitor it. How can traffic move when there are 50,000 vehicles flying a road meant for only 5,000 vehicles.)

The Manila archbishop also emphasized the importance of an efficient mass transport system to reduce the volume of vehicles on the road, saying that it may even encourage private motorists to leave their cars at home.

“Sana mapaayos ang ating public transport system, ang train, ang MRT, ang buses, kasi kung ang mga iyan ay maayos at dumadaloy siguro naman pati ang may sariling sasakyan ay maeenganyo, puwede naman palang hindi ako magdala ng sasakyan ng sariling kotse dahil efficient ang public transportation,” he said.

(I hope our public transport system—our trains, the MRT, and buses—will be fixed, because if they are functioning well, maybe even those with their own cars will be encouraged to take public transport knowing that this mode is efficient.)

On Sunday, his predecessor, former Manila archbishop Gaudencio Rosales, directed traffic during a typhoon. Yuji Vincent Gonzales/IDL