There is nothing like a crisis to get us to ask whether our policies and practices make sense. Looking at the way the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has managed traffic on our roads and the mobility of people throughout the city, there are a few practices that need to be swept aside, not only to make our metropolis more livable, but also to enhance its vitality and economic potential.
One mistaken notion at the MMDA is that the overall objective is to make cars go faster. After decades of pursuing this objective, we all know where this has brought us. Major roads are choked with cars; EDSA slows to 5 kilometers an hour or less every rush hour.