MANILA, Philippines – A  transportation planner on Saturday, February 24 gave a tip on how to solve the traffic problem in Metro Manila: go to your local officials.

Transportiton planner Robert Siy gave the advice at the UrbanisMO urban development forum in Ateneo Law School on Saturday.

“There’s a lot that goes into…how people go around and move around in Metro Manila and a lot of it really is affected by things not really under the national government but by people who you may not have voted for people who you might not have engaged with, but people who have all the same have the port to affect what goes on with your life and your city’s streets,” said Siy.

Siy was referring to local government officials such as barangay captains, councilors, and mayors.

Siy, a planner for the local government of Pasig City, put the spotlight on the city’s ordinance ordering all buildings at its central business district to set up bike parking spaces.

Metro Manila is composed of 17 local government units, each with its own traffic management rules. They are united in policy only by the Metro Manila Council, composed of the mayors. Their agreed policies are enforced by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), but only to a certain extent. – Rappler.com