Tidying up Edsa and other roads

Every day, hundreds of thousands of cars pass through the major arteries of Metro Manila, even more along Edsa. I am one of those people, going to and from the various CBDs connected by this 24-kilometer-long thoroughfare. And quite frankly, although the MMDA and DPWH are working hard to improve the road, it is still a long way off from being ideal for the average motorist.

Lots of unpaved surfaces, trash everywhere, unlit sections that make it dangerous to drive at night especially during the last few days when rain has been pummeling Metro Manila.

It’s somehow sad to note that every time I fly into Manila, the roads leading to and from the NAIA complex are deplorable. How can the government promote tourism in the country when the first impression tourists get is how ridiculous our roads are?

Well, while thinking of what we can do to at least improve things, I found myself in one of the many car dealerships that line Edsa and the big boss there pointed out to me that in order to make the entire frontage of their dealership look better, he has assigned personnel to constantly monitor and do the cleanup. And I thought, well, if the government cannot or will not do its part, the private sector might as well come in and help out.

This gave me an idea: Why not make business establishments responsible for the portion of road fronting them? Just like what my friend has been doing, these establishments could also assign one or two people who will not only beautify that portion of the road but also improve traffic flow.

This could even add a sense of luxury for the clients visiting the office as they will definitely have a much better experience. Typically, this stretch should be no more than 100 meters (save for the huge shopping malls), which these establishments could easily manage.

Cleaning up the debris, painting the curbs and gutters and even helping maintain the Edsa-MRT3’s posts, columns and walls will surely have a positive effect on the mood of both motorists and pedestrians. They would even feel safe considering that a dirty, untended area feels like a dangerous area to be in.

Adding more trash bins should also be done as this gives pedestrians less of a reason to litter that contribute in clogging up storm drains. This might even solve the flooding.

Businesses along Edsa and even those in other major thoroughfares should also dredge up and clean their respective sidewalks, canals and storm drains as this could help prevent flooding.

While the cost to maintain and beautify the stretch of road fronting a typical business establishment entails considerable amount of money, it’s a worthwhile investment. In fact, the money spent to finance these activities may be recovered considering that the improvements that are expected will certainly help bring in more clients. They could easily read your signages, view what’s on display, or even have a safe place to park their vehicles or have a safe place to walk. They will no longer be inconvenienced or even scared when they come to your establishment due to flooding.

But nothing is for free, even if it benefits both the private entity and the general public. If such a plan is to be implemented by the MMDA, the DPWH and the various local government units, the private entities should be compensated.

How? By giving advertising spaces in the area directly in front of them, particularly on Edsa where advertising values are very high. Let the MMDA decide and design on an advertising formula that is uniform to keep Edsa still decent and the signage professional, will not endanger traffic should the conditions become dangerous (strong typhoons, etc.), but most of all, keep the walls, curbs and gutters clean at all times. Come now, if someone will be installing advertising signage, the advertiser will always keep the signage and the space around it very clean, ensuring that the entire stretch of road fronting a business establishment will always remain clean. A good and simple formula right? Let’s do this, guys.