METROPOLITAN Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Romando Artes is right in pushing for a busway on Commonwealth Avenue offering public transport vehicles an exclusive median lane free of congestion. With a busway, commuters will have two efficient and reliable mass transit options: rail and bus. It will be important to plan the busway properly and invest sufficiently so that it delivers a high-quality and high-capacity service on Commonwealth Avenue.

Traffic is never solved by building more roads for motor vehicles — Commonwealth Avenue already has nine lanes in each direction and yet is the 'poster child' for severe traffic. As they say, 'building more roads to solve traffic is just like buying wider pants to cure obesity.' More roads for four-wheeled motor vehicles attract increased car use and ultimately more congestion and pollution. It is also an unjust use of public funds, given that only 6 percent of Philippine households are car owners.