Urban planner Palafox favors emergency powers for Duterte

Urban planner and architect Felino “Jun” Palafox Jr. on Friday said the granting of emergency powers to President Rodrigo Duterte was necessary to address the country’s traffic problems.

In a lecture delivered at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) in Makati, Palafox said corruption and traffic problems, especially in Metro Manila, are major stumbling blocks in the country’s economic growth.

“The most pressing challenge today is traffic…To answer the problem of chronic traffic congestion was a more complicated issue: it being a symptom of poor planning and, at the same time, being the root of other problems,” Palafox said.

Asked by one of the attendees if the traffic situation can already be considered a matter of national emergency that calls for special powers of the President, Palafox replied “yes.”

“Because of our analysis-paralysis, too much bad politics, it needs to be easy [to act]. But with the condition that they (administration) must write the scope of work, the deliverables with a timeline,” Palafox said.

He noted that emergency powers are necessary to expedite bidding and procurement procedures for the much-needed road infrastructures, among others.

Meanwhile, Palafox also favored the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) plan to open the roads of some government properties such as military and police camps, as well as private subdivisions for public use.

“As I said, the government must be the exemplar, open up the government lands before they open the private subdivisions,” Palafox said.

The DOTr had earlier raised the possibility of ordering some government offices and certain private subdivisions to open their gates to motorists during rush hours, once emergency powers is granted by Congress to Duterte.

“In Los Angeles, they open up all gated communities in 1973, while in Singapore, they don’t allow gated communities,” Palafox said.

No subdivisions in Metro Manila

While he favors the opening the private subdivisions to motorists, Palafox said the government must think of long-term solution such as moving these subdivisions to the suburbs.

“I think Metro Manila is the only place in the world where you have mansions in major cities. In Manhattan people leave in condominiums,” Palafox said.

“Subdivisions should only be allowed in provinces near Metro Manila. Big houses must be moved to the suburbs,” he added.

Relocate Malacañang, gov’t offices

Palafox further suggested to the government to consider relocating the President’s seat of power to a province near Metro Manila.

“I’ve been proposing that since I was 24 years old in 1974. Malacañang, it is the most unsafe place for the president. If there is a coup attempt it is hard to escape…I recommend to relocate the Malacañang and other government offices to Clark [in Pampanga],” Palafox said.

He said the government must also consider relocating the military camp and government offices outside of Metro Manila.

“A military camp inside the City? It’s easier to make a coup attempt… Like the Department of Agriculture, there is no agricultural land in Metro Manila. Why not transfer it in Mindanao? Davao has so much land,” Palafox said.

Palafox further said foreign embassies and other non-gov’t agencies can be transferred to Subic because of its good infrastructure and security. The province is home to navy and air force bases of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, he said. — VVP, GMA News