NCAP @ Makati

Senator Maria Lourdes “Nancy” Sombillo Binay Angeles assumes the mayoralty of Makati City by the end of June, succeeding her younger sister, Mar-len Abigail “Abby” Sombillo Binay-Campos, who held the position for nine years.

- MARVIN TORT

If memory serves, Senator Nancy will become the first former senator, having served 12 years, to hold Makati’s mayoral office. Sister Abby served in Congress before becoming mayor.

Senator Nancy was elected mayor in May, a week before the Supreme Court lifted its temporary restraining order on the No Contact Apprehension Program (NCAP), a camera-based traffic enforcement initiative. I find this timing auspicious. Perhaps under Mayor Nancy, the NCAP will finally be implemented in Makati.

As a Makati resident, I remain supportive of Abby Binay. I believe she was a good mayor, leading the city better than most, particularly during the pandemic years. I also appreciated her continuation of the hospital project in the first district despite its controversial beginning.

However, in terms of traffic management, she could have done more. Perhaps she relied a little too much on the subway project. There is no doubt in my mind that a city mass transit system would significantly reduce congestion. Unfortunately, unforeseen circumstances have stalled that project indefinitely.

Incoming Mayor Nancy now has the opportunity to leave her mark. With the subway no longer a viable solution in the near term, she urgently needs to tackle the worsening traffic situation. Achieving this goal will require strong support from the National Government, the private sector, and the local community.

Given Makati’s considerable resources, it remains puzzling why the city has not yet adopted camera-based traffic enforcement, even just within the Central Business District (CBD). Perhaps with the mass transit system envisioned as the primary solution, other innovative traffic management strategies remained overlooked.