December 27, 2025

ALLEVIATING our mobility crisis requires a combination of short, medium and longer term actions. Below are suggested priority actions for the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and its attached agencies in 2026:

1. Allow capable and interested local government units (LGUs) to take on greater responsibility and accountability for mobility outcomes, including allowing them to oversee and monitor public transport, set fares and collect and retain fare revenues, in their localities Without control over public transportation (except for tricycles), LGUs are handicapped in shaping and influencing the development of their areas and communities. It is already undisputed that the national government lacks the capacity to plan and manage public transportation for the entire country.
2. Work with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to introduce urban street design guidelines that promote a “complete streets” approach (urban roads designed for the travel needs of the range of users, especially those not using private motor vehicles). Up until now, the DPWH’s antiquated and obsolete road design manual prioritizes the mobility of those in private cars, creating an environment of car dependency.
3. Announce a two-year transition towards nationwide interoperable cashless fare collection using many different media (credit cards, stored value cards, QR, GCash, mobile phones, etc.). Beyond the deadline, all fares will be cashless. While cash will still be accepted, those paying in cash will have to pay an additional 10 percent to cover the costs and leakages of cash handling. The advantage of moving to cashless payments is that it will unlock abundant private sector financing for fleet expansion and replacement. If financiers can be assured that they can recover their loans from the farebox, there will be more and cheaper financing available for public transport.
4. Implement the Active Transport Strategic Master Plan with the support of the DPWH and LGUs. This is one of the most pro-poor and cost-effective investments that can be delivered within the Marcos administration’s term. Nationwide, vulnerable road users — pedestrians, cyclists and persons with disability — face significant and often insurmountable barriers because of the absence of safe and accessible pathways. By giving this special attention, the DOTr will not only enable more Filipinos to have an additional travel option, especially for short distances, it will also encourage healthier lifestyles and travel without noise, heat or harmful emissions.
5. Announce measurable service standards for each mode of road-based public transport, with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to report on the compliance of transport operators. One of the anomalies in our transportation governance is the absence of standards for what is a safe, convenient, adequate, comfortable and reliable service. It is the duty of the LTFRB to set the standards and to measure and report on the achievement of such, even if the standards (waiting/queuing times, timeliness, cleanliness, comfort, accessibility for persons with disability, etc.) are not immediately attainable. At least, it will give a clear signal that dignified travel requires compliance and that both the private sector and the government need to agree on time-bound steps.
6. Revitalize public transport by placing this on dedicated lanes. The supply of public transport is steadily declining as more jeepneys, UV Express and buses are stuck in traffic. Many operators have gone out of business because their units, given very slow travel, are unable to sustain ridership and revenues. This can be reversed by giving public transport priority on major roads and placing them on dedicated or exclusive lanes. Freed from traffic, they will be able to have more round trips and reliable travel times; they will be able to attract and move a larger number of passengers. Exclusive lanes for public transport are precisely what we need in order to get car and motorcycle owners to leave their vehicles at home.
7. Establish metropolitan public transport agencies. We are in a mobility crisis, in large part, because integrated, multi-modal transportation planning and management has been missing. As a result, commuters face unfriendly infrastructure, inadequate services and problematic connections. While there are many ongoing transportation projects, these are not linked to a long-term comprehensive transportation strategy under one responsible agency. We will also avoid the situation where bus services are viewed as competing with rail services. Both need to be developed in a complementary manner to give commuters a high quality of service; this is best achieved under a metropolitan public transport agency.
8. Remove parking minimums from the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the National Building Code. The requirement for builders and property developers to provide a minimum number of motor vehicle parking spaces, depending on the floor area and purpose of the structure being built, is obsolete and damaging. Cheap and abundant parking, driven by this rule, attracts greater car use and more congestion. Another major negative impact is that parking minimums increase the cost of goods and services for everyone, especially for housing. Because developers need to satisfy parking requirements, building costs naturally increase. Parking spaces consume valuable floor area and can add 20 percent or more to the cost of a building. The parking minimum rule, which is mentioned under the IRR of the National Building Code, should be eliminated. Instead, property owners and builders should be allowed to determine the appropriate number of parking spaces to fit local circumstances.
9. Work with the Department of Finance to develop non-fare revenue sources to fund public transport subsidies on a sustainable basis. For our mass transit services, fares are likely to be set below levels required to recover costs so that the services are affordable, indicating a need for a continuing subsidy. It would be desirable to have stable subsidy sources that are locally-derived and not reliant on annual national budget appropriations. Any large subsidy from the national budget for a local service will be difficult to justify and sustain. Now is the best time to create non-fare revenue sources that can finance transportation infrastructure and services over the long term. Non-fare revenue could come from road congestion charges, non-residential parking taxes, advertising and traffic fines.
10. Require proof of private parking space for the registration of a four-wheeled motor vehicle. Those who need to park their cars on public roads because they lack a private parking space are, in effect, taking a public asset and using it for their own private benefit. Because the government fails to address this issue at the time an individual purchases and registers a motor vehicle, it gives tacit consent. And when roads are obstructed by illegally parked vehicles, legitimate road users are unable to travel safely and efficiently.

Robert Y. Siy is a development economist, city and regional planner, and public transport advocate. He is a co-convenor of the Move As One Coalition. He can be reached at [email protected] or followed on X @RobertRsiy.

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