Gridlock, grand promises and grit: Can Metro Manila overcome its traffic nightmare?

About seminar:

Metro Manila, Philippines is infamous for its severe traffic congestion. Infrastructure priorities heavily favour cars, despite majority of Filipinos relying on a disjointed transport system. This research delves into the political and cultural dimensions of the traffic issue through interviews with government transport agencies, the private sector and civil society organizations. It employs interviews, participant observation and analyses policies, government reports and media coverage.

The research reveals a lack of sustained political commitment from government leaders and highlights the overlapping and fragmented responsibilities among transport agencies. Top-down interventions often sideline civil society participation. Consequently, this research advocates for a people-centred, process-oriented and ecologically balanced approach to urban planning, aiming to create more liveable cities.

Learn more about Dr Gatarin:
Dr Gina R. Gatarin is a Filipino sociologist and advocate for transport reform. She is currently a Research Fellow at the Urban Transformations Research Centre (UTRC), Western Sydney University. She holds the distinction of being the first graduate of the Joint PhD Programme between the Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University, Australia and the Environmental Sustainability Programme at the University of Ferrara, Italy. Her doctoral research focused on the intricate political and cultural dimensions of the traffic issue in Metro Manila, Philippines, with an emphasis on transport governance and civil society's role in driving reforms and innovations. In 2022, she received the prestigious Paul Benneworth PhD Student Award from the Regional Studies Association (RSA) based in the United Kingdom for her paper titled "Designing Cities for Dignified Commuting: Watersheds of Hope in Metro Manila, Philippines’ Traffic Situation." Prior to pursuing her PhD, she served as a Senior Field Manager at Innovations for Poverty Action and held a position as Assistant Professor at the Department of Sociology, University of the Philippines – Diliman.


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