Congratulations on completing a turbulent year and the visions for better mobility in 2026

Rethinking the Fundamentals

The year 2025 was truly a rollercoaster ride for all transportation users in the country. Extreme weather events, political upheavals, and regulatory changes have made our daily commutes a constant challenge. Now, as we draw a line and look to a new chapter, it is time to articulate our hopes and expectations for mobility in the coming year.

The infrastructure imperative comes first. The Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) – the arterial lifeline of our transportation system – is finally to be fundamentally renovated. According to the Department of Public Works and Highways, the original plan has been adjusted: instead of a two-year complete closure, the repair will now be carried out in two phases of four months each, with a simultaneous budget optimization from 17 to 6 billion pesos. The first phase began immediately before the holidays and could be completed by April or May 2026. Whether this work will remain free of potholes and erosion damage in the long term will have to be seen during the rainy season.

Safety and Behavior on the Roads

A second critical area concerns traffic safety and the behavior of all road users. Too often, drivers get into physical altercations that could have been resolved through simple communication – scenes that go viral on social media and paint a concerning picture of street culture. Motorcyclists are particularly exposed to dangerous situations, as reports of fatal accidents involving rollovers or collisions with larger vehicles are increasing statistically.

At the same time, urban planning should place greater emphasis on pedestrians. Sidewalks are often destroyed by construction or remain in a dilapidated state – dark, fragmented, poorly marked. A pedestrian-friendly metro also requires stricter enforcement measures against drivers who ignore crosswalks, bike lanes, and sidewalk areas.

Public Transit and Infrastructure Problems

Public transportation suffers from multiple simultaneous issues: safety deficiencies in buses and jeepneys, which regularly lead to accidents due to questionable brake failures; overloading of MRT and LRT systems; and a lack of maintenance culture. Sector officials must recognize that lives are entrusted to them daily. Well-wishes for a difficult year’s end only make sense if we achieve concrete improvements.

The traffic police, in turn, need better training – not only in recognizing traffic violations but also in dynamic traffic flow optimization. The situation often worsens when officers hijack traffic lights or intervene uncooperatively.

Electric Mobility and Technological Transformation

With the rise of battery electric vehicle (BEV) models from various manufacturers, a new problem emerges: insufficient public charging infrastructure. While longer ranges of modern vehicles help reduce range anxiety, a true systemic shift to electric mobility fails due to massive gaps in the national charging network. Particularly problematic is the behavior of vehicle owners who block charging spots even after their vehicles are fully charged.

Regulations and Compliance

The EDSA Busway – designed as a less congested alternative for authorized city buses – is systematically abused. While legitimate exceptions exist for emergency vehicles, fire trucks, and top government officials, the phenomenon of misuse has reached absurd proportions. Intelligent, automated monitoring technology could help address this.

The Mabuhay lanes – designed as priority lanes for cooperative road users – are de facto sabotaged by illegal parking, informal street vendors, and reckless crossing. Communities along these routes bear significant shared responsibility.

An Appeal for Mutual Consideration

Basic courtesy seems to have been forgotten: drivers push ahead recklessly instead of lining up, honk impatiently at the first green light, and forget to use their turn signals. A cultural shift toward greater mutual consideration is just as important as technical infrastructure improvements.

These twelve hopes may seem ambitious, but they are necessary for a 2026 that is truly more mobile, safer, and more comfortable. Well-wishes for the end of the past year are only justified if we take concrete steps to turn this vision into reality.