FILIPINOS are pedestrians, but most are discouraged from walking. One reason is the widespread disregard by motorists of traffic rules designed to keep pedestrians safe; another is the rampant and illegal use of sidewalk space for car parking. When sidewalks are blocked by cars, pedestrians are forced to mix in the same road space as fast moving motor vehicles. When “zebra” pedestrian crosswalks are ignored by motorists, pedestrians are endangered when crossing the road. These two perils deter many Filipinos from walking around their localities. Those that do face heightened risk of injury or death from road crashes.
Many Filipinos forego walking and use a private motor vehicle instead — as soon as they can afford to. The result is worsening traffic, heat, noise and pollution as more streets grow increasingly congested with motor vehicles. Health outcomes deteriorate as Filipinos have less physical activity, opting instead to sit inside a vehicle or stay at home. With an environment generally hostile for pedestrians, many elderly Filipinos and persons with disability never leave their homes except inside a motor vehicle.
The dismal treatment of pedestrians is likely one of the negative impressions left on tourists. It is seldom brought up in conversations, but I’m sure it influences their perception of the Philippines. It is probably one of the reasons why some never want to return. For walkability to improve, driver behavior has to change.
Driver behavior is shaped by the certainty of incentives and sanctions. Today, very few traffic enforcers are ticketing or clamping vehicles parked on sidewalks. Sidewalks in many neighborhoods are treated as parking areas, and I have yet to hear of a motorist issued a citation for failing to stop when a pedestrian was stepping into a crosswalk.
If one can get away with violating a rule almost all the time, then the rule does not count at all. When the probability of being caught is low, drivers commit violations with impunity while pedestrians remain at risk.
Driver behavior will change if there is a high probability that they will be penalized when they commit an infraction — and there is no chance to talk or pay their way out of it. It is this certainty this certainty that shapes behavior. This is why I advocate for the widespread application of camera-based, no contact apprehension systems, also known as NCAP.
NCAP systems work day and night, rain or shine, without fear or favor. The feedback from vulnerable road users is that they felt safer when NCAP was operational. For instance, motorcycles tended to stay clear of bicycle lanes when NCAP was active along the corridor.
However, NCAP also has its limitations. It requires investment and is limited to locations where cameras can be positioned with access to electricity and internet connections. Drivers will be tempted to violate rules in areas without camera surveillance. We need to go beyond NCAP. This is where citizen participation in enforcement can complement the coverage provided by NCAP cameras. Already, millions of Filipinos carry smartphones capable of accurately documenting objectively verifiable traffic and parking violations, and submitting this evidence to the proper authorities.
They can play a key role in shaping driver behavior, especially because most of them experience the difficult pedestrian environment in our country. We can harness this energy of ordinary citizens to promote road safety and better driving behavior. There are many cities around the world that have included citizen-submitted digital evidence in their traffic enforcement systems while respecting due process and privacy. In places like the United Kingdom, Taiwan, South Korea, Germany and Singapore, citizens voluntarily submit time-stamped photographs or videos documenting specified parking and traffic violations. The Philippines can do the same (this feature could even be incorporated in the government’s eGov app).
Of course, there should be proper safeguards to ensure due process and prevent abuse. Every submission must first be reviewed and validated by an authorized enforcement officer. Every registered vehicle owner should be afforded timely notice and an opportunity to contest the alleged violation before any administrative penalty becomes final. It will also be important to have mechanisms for preserving the integrity of the digital evidence as the data moves through the system, complying fully with the Data Privacy Act.
Moreover, incentives for excessive enforcement (such as revenue or numerical targets or quotas that affect the performance rating or compensation of enforcement staff) should be avoided.
When drivers know that any pedestrian with a mobile phone is capable of reporting a traffic or parking violation and that traffic infractions have a much higher chance of being penalized by authorities, the Philippines will be much more walkable and livable.
Robert Y. Siy is a development economist, city and regional planner, and public transport advocate.