Surprised? PHL ranks 9th in countries with worst traffic

The Philippines is among the top 10 countries in the world with the worst traffic condition based on the latest study by a Serbia-based private research firm.

In its 2015 Traffic Index, Numbeo, a multi-national research firm, placed the Philippines in ninth place among 88 countries as far as traffic condition is concerned.

Numbeo said its data was based on overall commuting time, commuting public's dissatisfaction, traffic inefficiencies and carbon dioxide emissions.

The study noted that it usually takes a commuter in the Philippines an average of time of 45.50 minutes just to get to a 12-kilometer distance of his or her destination.

The Philippines got an average of 202.31 traffic index out of the highest score of 1. It even ranked worse than neighboring countries Thailand (10th place worldwide), which got a traffic index of 200.79; Indonesia (17th place), with 186.26; and Malaysia (18th place), with 181.23.

However, in terms of carbon dioxide emissions, the Philippines ranked fairer than the three Southeast Asian neighbors, with Thailand averaging 8862.14, Malaysia with 7978.29, and Indonesia with 6849.71.

Other countries on the list of countries with the worst traffic condition was Kenya (317.24), followed by Egypt (293.39), Bangladesh (280.43), Bolivia (243.93), Nigeria (241.71), Jordan (232.05), Iran (214.14), South Africa (208.39), Philippines and Thailand.

On the other hand, the countries with the most favorable traffic conditions were Turkmenistan (45.49), Austria (66.87), Bosnia and Herzegovina (67.19), Estonia (69.25) and Cyprus (73.72).

Per city category

Meanwhile, on the per city category, Manila ranked 12th in cities worldwide with worst traffic condition, with the average traffic index of 260.38.

Numbeo noted that in Manila, it usually takes 53.82 minutes for a commuter or motorist to get to a 12-kilometer distance destination.

Manila's traffic inefficiency index of 245.80 and carbon dioxide emmission index of 8881.82 were also worse than the Philippines national average of 217.82 and 6565.46, respectively.

Topping the list of cities with the worst traffic conditions were Mumbai in India, Nairobi in Kenya, Pune in India, Cairo in Egypt, Kolkata in India, Miami in Florida USA, Tehran in Iran, Recife in Brazil, Pretoria in South Africa, Denver in Colorado, USA and Jakarta in Indonesia.

Based in Serbia, Numbeo is a private research firm established in 2009 by software engineer Mladen Adamovic.

Its data and researches are usually used by international media outfits BBC, Time magazine, Forbes magazine, The Economist, Business Insider, San Francisco Chronicle, New York Times, The Telegraph, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, China Daily, The Washington Post and USA Today.

“The research and available data at Numbeo.com are not influenced by any governmental organization,” Numbeo said on its website.

Growing economy

Sought for comment, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino said Numbeo's report must be viewed not only on a negative perspective but also as an indication of the country's growing economy and population.

He, however, admitted that the Numbeo report also affirms the country's dire need for a more efficient transport system and the decentralization of Metro Manila.

“It (Numbeo report) speaks of the need for ten more MRT lines for Metro Manila. It speaks of the need to really disperse the industries in Metro Manila to other surrounding areas,” Tolentino said in an interview aired on GMA News TV's “News To Go” Thursday.

Meanwhile, commuters and motorists offered different views.

“Istriktong pagpapatupad lang ng batas sa traffic (ang solusyon), yung lang wala nang iba,” said one taxi driver interviewed by GMA News.

“Dapat po ang mga mayors natin ay tumulong na maalis yung mga nakaparada sa gilid-gilid, sa mga hindi dapat pagparadahan. Dapat may mga sarili na talagang garahe,” commuter Joseph Cantonos said.

“Yung mga dapat i-phase out, iphase out na. Kasi dito sa'tin sasabihin na ipha-phase out na, pero ang dami parin tumatakbo sa araw-araw na sobrang lumang sasakyan. Ang dami paring mga kolorum," another taxi driver, Norbert Corpuz, said. —KBK, GMA News