Share the Road Environment Transport Program

Pasig City, Philippines

Background & Urban Challenges

Pasig City is the eighth largest city in Metro Manila in terms of land area. The population of Pasig increased sharply between 2010 and 2017. Even more, due to a higher purchasing power and a more widespread car-centric mentality, the number of vehicles began to increase remarkably in 2014.

Additionally, Pasig City serves as the gateway to the East Philippines, including all municipalities and cities of Rizal Province. It is home to 121 subdivisions, 176 condominiums, and 26,780 business establishments, not to mention commercial centers and malls. As per data in the MMDA 2016, car dealers roll out 820 new units per day. As a result, traffic conditions in Pasig City have worsened, leading to a rapid increase in road congestion costs. With traffic congestion in the country's highly urbanized areas reaching a total gridlock, Pasig City residents are eager for a workable solution. The city has successfully illustrated a proof of concept for the Road Sharing Principle, or "Bayanihan sa Daan": a sustainable urban transport strategy integrating pedestrianization, walking, cycling, and public transportation.

Objectives

Pasig City has taken the lead to demonstrate four Carless Sunday roads. It has also shown proof of concept of road sharing in the 2.5-kilometer road along the Manggahan Floodway, including these complementary strategies:

• Improve Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST). Improving the service capacity of public transportation can reduce reliance on private vehicles. For example, Pasig City Community Shuttle Service and electric tricycles were established to redirect current development to favor safer and greener transport systems. Additionally, reducing the number of private vehicles can alleviate congestion and reduce travel delays because public transport occupies less road space-per-passenger. This is shown by the implementation of the Odd-Even Scheme on six Pasig City major gateways.

• Build a Continuous, Well-Connected Pedestrian Network. The City requires the provision of pedestrian facilities on all existing, new, and reconstructed roads as well as retrofitting old road networks. Today, cities can be designed compactly to reduce the need for motorized transport by making streets well-connected and walkable. Additionally, pedestrian networks should be integrated with sustainable long-distance transportation infrastructures, such as mass transit and land use planning.

• Implement Pedestrian Signals Countdown. The City will continue to implement solar-powered blinking pedestrian signals that help pedestrians know when they may cross safely. The City will also continue to implement pedestrian countdown signals that reduce uncertainty about safe crossing times. The City will continue to improve pedestrian crossings at signalized and non-signalized intersections, with the goal of reducing the frequency and severity of preventable collisions involving pedestrians.

• Develop a Network of Cycling Facilities. The City has installed protected bike lanes, bike racks and demonstrated a bike sharing system to encourage cycling, which is one indicator of a vibrant, sustainable city. Along with walking, transit and carpooling, cycling conserves natural resources and reduces pressure on the road network. Ancillary benefits include improving health, supporting more compact development, preserving the environment and supporting economic activity. Finally, it offers speed and convenience for shorter trips.

Solution Descriptions

Realizing the importance of bridging the gap between economic progress and sustainability, Pasig City began to formulate real-world solutions and employ proactive governance to solve its road congestion problems. These innovations support both Pasig City's own survival and serve as a model for others to follow. Pasig City's combination of soft and hard creative innovations include the following: 

• Sandwich Approach. The "Sandwich Approach" or "Bibingka" Paradigm for planning engages the entire community by brainstorming simultaneously from the bottom up and from top to bottom. Starting with a vision from the city leadership or other stakeholders, solutions are formed via consultations and are translated into a local law or ordinance. Stakeholders also include members of the technical working group and implementers. Feedback mechanisms are installed to ensure a successful project, and detailed documentation allows for replication and knowledge sharing to other cities.
• Bayanihan sa Daan. Bayanihan sa Daan inculcates the values of family and community bonding as well as road sharing principles. The City continues to create many places for people to assemble, play and associate with others within their neighborhood despite the limited urban space. Examples include innovating Carless Sunday streets, pedestrianization and all forms of non-motorized transportation.

• Odd-Even Scheme. The Odd-Even Traffic Scheme, also known as "The Revised Traffic and Parking Management Code of Pasig," is a congestion-reducing measure included in Ordinance No. 23, Series of 2016. Pasig City is a gateway for vehicles from Rizal Province to Metro Manila, Makati City to Quezon City, and vice versa. The Odd-Even scheme mandates that vehicles with license plate numbers ending in 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 cannot use specific roads on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, while vehicles with license plate numbers ending in 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 may not pass on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Traffic congestion within the city was reduced when the National Government modified the Number Coding within Metro Manila. With the help and participation of Pasig residents, the traffic scheme was a success.

• City Transport Development and Management Office. This office centralizes different offices and experts to promote the development of well-integrated and sustainable urban transport with the following functions: 1.) Study, create and recommend policies and plans where transport planning is concerned; 2.) Review existing and relevant city ordinance and resolutions relevant to transport planning and management and propose enactment of new ones; 3.) Create the Pasig City Transport Master Plan; 4.) Promote mass public transport (bus, jeepneys, ferry, company shuttle service); 5.) Spearhead and represent the city in public consultations regarding transport concerns; 6.) Manage the implementation and monitoring of the transport master plan, its objectives, concepts, and accessibility; 7.) Coordinate and collaborate with neighboring cities to ensure good connectivity and safety of movement.

• Pasig City's Intelligent Traffic System (ITS) The ITS connects the interactions of drivers, pedestrians, public transportation and traffic management systems. It receives real-time data from various sensors like VDS-CCTV, inductive loop, and RSE installed all over the city, which will be sent to commuters through smartphone applications and the worldwide web. This would lessen the number of traffic accidents and deaths and make roads generally safer for motorists and the general public. This smart technology solution encourages people to consider more environmentally friendly methods of transportation during high traffic hours.

Pasig City's long-standing efforts to provide Carless Sunday Streets, free public transport, financial and loan strike assistance and traffic de-congestion programs all have empowerment at their core: ensuring that people have the opportunities they need to live better lives in dignity and security. The city is guided by the Clean Air Asia's "avoid, shift and improve" strategies to implement the sustainable urban transport programs. Pasig City is exploring new frontiers of empowerment with the following indicators during program planning, implementation, and monitoring:

• Confidence and Understanding. For Bayanihan sa Daan Program, the community and recipients initiated requests to the City Government about their project proposals. These asks included installing bike lanes or a Carless Sunday program in their locality.

• Analysis and Communication. The City Government facilitates forums, public hearings and community discussions regarding urban planning. It mobilizes experts and support groups in the Central Business District, homeowners' associations, interest groups and health and wellness enthusiasts.

• Trust, Caring and Tolerance. Through the Technical Working Group for every project, the City delegated responsibilities to achieve a sense of community ownership. They involve vulnerable people such as persons with disability, tricycle drivers, senior citizens and other target beneficiaries.

• Communication and Cooperation. Homeowners' associations, interested groups and advocacy leaders are empowered to implement and assist in the enforcement of guidelines to protect the Share the Road program from rejections and opposing parties.

• Access to Information. All members and stakeholders of the community involved in the Sustainable Transport Programs can access data and information about the project. This transparency allows stakeholders to discuss improvements and give feedback to improve project implementation.

Active community participation is also an end in itself. Participatory planning allows people to realize their full potential and make their best contribution to society. This is the wisdom behind the Bayanihan sa Daan Programs. Rather than arranging people around development, urban spaces should be woven by people and for people. "Pro-active" governance means preparing to roll up our sleeves and get hands dirty to create truly sustainable transportation. Barangay-level consultations take place in relaxed but regular coffee sessions where project implementation at the grassroots is monitored. Regular feedback mechanisms for stakeholders are institutionalized, which encourages people's participation and instills a sense of ownership.

At present, there are eight active technical working groups and a special ad hoc transport committee handling Carless Sunday programs, free public buses, bike share, bike for life and other special transport projects. They schedule regular informal meetings and consultations on how to sustain, synergize and intensify people's participation. Consultation improves the quality of rules, programs and compliance while reducing enforcement costs for both the government and citizens. Regulation and its reforms affect all the participants in civil society, and therefore, in order to better assess the impacts and minimize costs, all the parties involved should be able to participate somehow in the regulatory processes. The committee's strong working belief is that "when you want to walk fast, walk alone, but when you want to go far, walk with many.''

Result & Reflections

Outcomes