DOTr won't disregard the cable car proposal of Senator Padilla

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said that the feasibility of Padilla's suggestion is being researched by the government agency.

File photo: DOTr logo

DOTr is open to ideas to solve traffic problems

A few days ago, netizens expressed mixed sentiments online over Senator Robin Padilla's suggestion of establishing cable cars. This was in light of looking for solutions to address traffic congestion, especially in Metro Manila.

Padilla made the remark during a plenary session after Senator JV Ejercito called for the improvement of the railway system. He also pointed out that bad traffic leads to inadequate development of the country.

Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation stated that it is not ignoring the possibility of building a cable car system to alleviate the traffic jams in the metro. 

In an interview, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista explained that cable cars have been used heavily as urban transport in parts of Latin America. He said that he instructed his Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure to examine Padilla's suggestion. 

Bautista said that to be able to implement a program, they need to get all the important data. He added,

Who will ride this? Will this be sustainable? Will this be profitable? Will [the] private sector be interested to operate it?

In 2018, the DOTr announced that it was studying the potential of securing technical assistance or funding from the French government for a feasibility study on cable cars to provide an alternative mode of public transportation.

The proposal for the cable car system from the Light Rail Transit-2's Santolan Station in Marikina City to Barangay Rosario in Pasig City was endorsed by the National Economic and Development Authority.

What do you think?

Sources: Philippine News Agency, ABS-CBN