Reference Details Summary Paraphrase

Direct Quote RCQ

Kyte, R. (n.d.). A good transport system must be easy and convenient to use, fast, safe, clean and affordable. Retrieved from http://www.global-briefing.org/2012/07/a-good-public-transport-system-must-be-easy-and-convenient-to-use-fast-safe-clean-and-affordable.

A good public transport system must be easy and convenient to use, fast, safe, clean & affordable. A key feature is that they integrate multiple technologies, such us metro rail, light rail, bus rapid transit and basic bus services.

Kyle (n.d.) said that a good public transport systems are an essential part of safe, clean and affordable transport for development from a social perspective, public transport is often the only means of transportation for the poor. Without it… work opportunities only within walking distance, … improve their livelihood opportunities…greater access to education, health care, and recreation… for senior citizens, people with disabilities and children. Public transport is also their mean means of mobility.

How about the middle class or well- off that still use public transport? I believe that everyone in our society gets affected by the country’s transport system one way or another. I can use the info that I found here and materialize it into my extended definition paper.

Benefits of Good System of Roads. (2010, July 15). Retrieved from http://constructionfield.net/benefits-of-good-system-of-roads/

The article talks about the benefits of a good transportation system and its benefits to the country’s economy. A good transport system will only bring positive effects to a country. It tells us numerous ways to have a good transport system.

I can use the information here for my paper.

Pedroso, K. (2013, July 6). IN THE KNOW: Traffic congestion in Metro Manila | Inquirer News. Retrieved from http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/439233/in-the-know-traffic-congestion-in-metro-manila

The Philippines has lost more than 1.5 trillion pesos since 2001 due to traffic which has led to loss of productivity. As of this date, the Philippines continues to lose more and more each day because of the horrible transport system in the country,

Pedroso (2013) said that The Philippines has been losing billions of pesos due to traffic congestion over the years. Earlier in 1999, studies by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and the Department of Transportation and Communication placed annual losses due to traffic in Metro Manila at P140 billion. Of this figure, P40 billion went to direct losses, such as wasted gasoline, lost labor hours, employment of traffic aides, and wasted electricity, while P100 billion went to indirect losses, like missed business opportunities and reduced capital inflow due to investors shying away from the country, among others.

Ranada, P. (2014, February 13). Commuters to gov't: Limit cars to half of the roads. Retrieved from http://www.rappler.com/nation/50423-share-road-public-transport-air-pollution

The article talks about the problems in our transport system and the possible solution to end or minimize the problem that the country is facing every day. It is by “road diet” or limiting the number of vehicles in the roads by limiting the roads available. This

Oposa (n.d.) said that if you have less road, then people will seek to improve collective transport systems. We're changing the mindset. We don't have to have cars to move from one point to another. "Only 1% of Filipinos own cars. But look, all of the roads are given to them. The

article also speaks about social justice and the bad effects of our transport system which is focusing on air pollution.

preference for cars is a mindset cultivated by the "Hollywood" depiction of privilege. When we ride a car, we feel we are well-off. When we are commuting, we feel "kawawa" (pitiful).

Transportation in the Philippines - WikiPilipinas: The Hip 'n Free Philippine Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15, 2014, from http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Transportation_in_the_Philippines

This article has the list of the Philippine’s different modes of transportation. This includes rail roads, metro rail, taxis, horse carriage, tricycles, and the ever colourful jeepneys for land transportation and ferries, ships and bangkas for water transportation. Finally there are numerous airports in the Philippines that offer air transport both nationally and internationally.

I can use the info here to compare them to the country’s with a good transport system so we can access what is wrong with ours.

Santiago, R. S. (2012, October 11). Taming the traffic beast of Metro Manila. Retrieved from http://www.rappler.com/thought-leaders/15854-taming-the-traffic-beast-of-metro-manila

This article is has a lot of things to say about ways to beat the traffic congestion that is always happening in the Philippines. He talks about the little things and the political things that made the Philippines achieve such a bad road system.

Santiago (2012) said that The unfortunate fact is that government has neglected our urban public transport system – except for the occasional building of bus stops and loading bays, and recurring plans to build provincial bus terminals and ban them from urban roads. It has focused on expensive urban rail lines - which are necessary but hardly sufficient, and takes

very long implementation times. Even the enforcement of yellow lanes – meant to improve bus travel times - is flawed.

Transport in Singapore - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_in_Singapore

This article has information about the public transport system of Singapore. A country known to have a very good and reliable transport system. Singapore’s transportation facility is world class and now that it is trying to implement ITS or intelligent transport system, it will definitely take traffic control into sky height.

Singapore: Intelligent Transport System. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://cityclimateleadershipawards.com/singapore-intelligent-transport-system/

The article talks about the advanced transport system of the Singapore and their use of advanced technology to help create a world class transport system.

The author said that “We rely on innovative infocomm and ITS solutions to make roads safer and keep traffic flowing smoothly. ITS allow timely dissemination of traffic information which is key to help motorists take the best route to their destinations. The ITS solution also plays a role in protecting the environment and contributes towards cleaner air and better quality of life for Singaporeans. This makes Singapore a more liveable city and gives motorists more pleasant journeys on the roads.”

REVCHART

First Draft Second Draft

Number of Words: 1,725 Number of Paragraphs: 4

Main Idea: A country with a good transportation system is a developing country. Thesis Statement: A good transportation management system is characterized by an orderly, well-managed, well-maintained transportation scheme.

A good transportation system is characterized by an orderly, well-managed, well-maintained transportation scheme. A country with a good transport system will have positive and beneficial effects to the country's economy, people and over all well-being. Orderliness in a transportation system can be seen when certain rules or methods are implemented in the traffic rules. The behaviour of the consumers and drivers also play a big part in the manifestation of orderliness in a country's transportation system. On the other hand, for a transport system to be well-managed, it highly depends on the people behind the issuing of the transportation licences and the managing of rail roads, naval stations, and aircraft stations. The people who are appointed and hired to work must have the correct and necessary skills that will complement their job. A well-maintained transportation scheme is enforced when the government makes sure that the roads and pathways all over the country are safe and fixed. There should be no bad or broken roads and if there are any, they are renovated and constructed as soon as possible. The occasional maintenance of public transportation vehicles and trains must also be implemented to avoid unexpected breaking down and stopping in the middle of operations.

A good example of a country that is well known to have a world class transportation system would be the island country in Southeast Asia, Singapore. Singapore boasts its use of state of the art technology that puts them near the top of the list of the

Number of Words: 1,997 Number of Paragraphs: 10

Main Idea: A country with a good transportation system is a developing country. Thesis Statement: A good transportation management system is characterized by an orderly, well-managed, well-maintained transportation scheme.

For a nation to be deemed developing or growing, it should have key components that only the 1st world countries have. One of these is having a traffic management system that can be considered state of the art and revolutionary. A person could immediately identify the status of a country by just observing its transportation system. It highly reflects the ability of a country to cope with the continuous growth of its population and the problems that come with it. If the Philippines wish to continue its development and transition from a third world country into a first world country, it might as well start with its traffic manage system.

Traffic management system (TMS) is the method of control for roadwork, that is, the measures that are generally intended to improve road safety for all its users and ease congestion or control the use of the cars. In other contexts, it could also refer to the process of determining timely and economic delivery methods, arranging both the internal and external transportation and ensuring that shipment status and logistics are efficiently tracked. TMS would be the steps and actions that the government would make to ensure proper and convenient travel for the people of the country. These steps range from the development of roads to the issuing of

countries with the best transportation system. Among the numerous transport initiatives that Singapore has taken, the implementation of ITS or the Intelligent Transport Systems, is its main project and has the most impact in the transportation scheme of Singapore. ITS are advanced applications which, without embodying intelligence as such, aim to provide innovative services relating to different modes of transport and traffic management and enable various users to be better informed and make safer, more coordinated, and 'smarter' use of transport networks. In land-scarce Singapore, ITS’ sophisticated traffic and control systems maximise road network efficiency capacity as well as monitor and manage traffic flow. Singapore relies on innovative information communication and ITS solutions to make roads safer and keep traffic flowing smoothly. ITS allow timely dissemination of traffic information which is key to help motorists take the best route to their destinations. The ITS solution also plays a role in protecting the environment and contributes towards cleaner air and better quality of life for Singaporeans. This makes Singapore a more liveable city and gives motorists more pleasant journeys on the roads. According to Singapore’s Land Transport Authority, some of the vital components within the ITS network include the ITSC Ops Centre which is powered by an Operation Control Centre (OCC) which runs 24/7, ITSC monitors traffic with an array of intelligent transport systems and deploy ground recovery crew to assist motorists who are in distress. Real-time traffic advisory information is also provided to motorists through electronic message signs. i-Transport which provides an integrated and unified platform that centralises the management of all ITS including traffic signal control, traffic monitoring, incident management, tunnel and highway monitoring and provision of real-time traffic advisory information. Expressway Monitoring & Advisory System (EMAS) which monitors traffic along expressways, alerts motorists of traffic incidents and ensures swift response to these incidents. EMAS Arterial which is a total of 10 major arterial road corridors with a combined road length of about 142-km will be fitted with EMAS Arterial capabilities by early 2014. Extending

licences and many more road related factors.

A good transportation management system is characterized by an orderly, well-managed, well-maintained transportation scheme. A country with a first-rate transport system will have positive and beneficial effects to the country's economy, people and over all well-being. There are already many countries with advanced and quality transportation systems and a good example of a country that is well known to have a world class transportation system would be the island country in Southeast Asia, Singapore. Singapore boasts its use of state of the art technology that puts them near the top of the list of the countries with the best transportation system. Among the numerous transport initiatives that Singapore has taken, the implementation of ITS or the Intelligent Transport Systems, is its main project and has the most impact in the transportation scheme of Singapore.

ITS are advanced applications which, without embodying intelligence as such, aim to provide innovative services relating to different modes of transport and traffic management and enable various users to be better informed and make safer, more coordinated, and 'smarter' use of transport networks. In land-scarce Singapore, ITS’ sophisticated traffic and control systems maximise road network efficiency capacity as well as monitor and manage traffic flow. Singapore relies on innovative information communication and ITS solutions to make roads safer and keep traffic flowing smoothly. ITS allow timely dissemination of traffic information which is key to help motorists take the best route to their destinations. The ITS solution also plays a role in protecting the environment and contributes towards cleaner air and better quality of life for Singaporeans. This makes Singapore a more liveable city and gives motorists more pleasant journeys on the roads. This is also a clear reason as to why

EMAS to the major arterial roads will manage traffic and guide motorists more effectively. Junction Electronic Eyes (J-Eyes) which is a system of surveillance cameras that monitor the traffic condition at major signalised junctions. Green Link Determining (GLIDE) System which monitors, adjusts and optimises green time in an intelligent and adaptive manner to provide “green-wave” along main roads in response to changing traffic demand. e-Traffic Scan which uses taxis equipped with Global Positioning System as probes on the road network to provide motorists with information on the traffic conditions island-wide. Green Man which extends green man time for both the elderly and pedestrians with disabilities to cross the road. Your Speed Sign which displays the real time speed of vehicles and alerts motorists that they are speeding. Parking Guidance System is a technology that provides real-time information on parking spaces availability to reduce circulation of traffic in various areas. The city has also pioneered the introduction of a variety of technologies to the system, including one of the world’s first Electronic Road Pricing systems (ERP – tolls that vary according to traffic flows, and work as a congestion charge). The ERP uses a short-range radio communication system to deduct charges from smart cards inserted in the vehicles. Other Intelligent elements include an Expressway Monitoring and Advisory System, alerting motorists to traffic accidents on major roads and a GPS system installed on the city taxis, which monitors and reports on traffic conditions around the city. All information from the systems feed into the Intelligent Transport System’s Operations Control Centre, which consolidates the data and provides real-time traffic information to the public. This technology has taken Singapore’s traffic control facility to sky height. For a country to have a good transportation system, inventing on ITS would be the best option because it is highly effective and efficient. Besides the use of advanced technology, Singapore has also implemented specific road rules and regulations that are religiously followed by everyone in the island. A good example would be the implementation of various rules for the buses. Buses in Singapore cannot unload and load passengers anywhere they please. There are designated drop off and

the Philippines should make the effort to adapt the ITS to its own transportation scheme. This technology has taken Singapore’s traffic control facility to sky height. For a country to have a good transportation system, investing on ITS would be a great option because it is highly effective and efficient. Singapore is one of the least congested major cities, with an average car speed on main roads of 27 km/h, compared to an average speed of 16 km/h in London, 11 km/h in Tokyo, and 5 km/h in Jakarta. This is an impressive feat considering that the population has more than doubled since 1990. (Intelligent Transport Systems | Managing Traffic & Congestion | Roads & Motoring | Land Transport Authority, n.d.)

Orderliness in a transportation system can be seen when certain rules or methods are implemented in the traffic rules that are to be followed by the people. The behaviour of the consumers and drivers also play a big part in the manifestation of orderliness in a country's transportation system. Besides the use of advanced technology, Singapore has also implemented specific road rules and regulations that are religiously followed by everyone in the island. A good example would be the implementation of various rules for the buses. Buses in Singapore cannot unload and load passengers anywhere they please. There are designated drop off and pick up points for the buses all over the country. Also the buses follow a strict schedule and route so that they can avoid or minimize traffic congestion and also create a uniform system for their public transport. Road accidents relating to buses in Singapore are seldom seen because of this system. The Philippines should consider Singapore’s approach in maintaining orderliness because the country’s transportation scheme can be seen as very unruly and disorderly. Even if the Philippines has no advanced technology yet, the simple implementation of bus stops

pick up points for the buses all over the country. Also the buses follow a strict schedule and route so that they can avoid or minimize traffic congestion and also create a uniform system for their public transport. You would seldom see road accidents relating to buses in Singapore because of this system. Singapore also makes sure that their workers are all well trained and has the necessary skills to drive public transport vehicles like taxis and buses. People who wish to become drivers must take and pass numerous tests which includes driving, drug, psychological and personality tests before they can get an approval for a license. It is not too easy to become a driver in Singapore and it can also be considered a respectable full time job. The occasional maintenance of the technology, roads and public vehicles are also assured of the government. It is made sure that all vehicles and machines that are used in public transportation are safe for use of operation. Singapore’s disaster response to accidents and breakages is also one of the fastest and dependable all over the world. The wide roads of Singapore make the travel time of disaster response teams faster and quicker. Thanks to its Intelligent Transport System, Singapore is one of the least congested major cities, with an average car speed on main roads of 27 km/h (17 miles per hour), compared to an average speed of 16 km/h in London, 11 km/h in Tokyo, and 5 km/h in Jakarta. This is an impressive feat considering that the population has more than doubled since 1990.

A good system of roads and transportation will only have positive effects on the country, its people and its economy. However, a bad transport system will incur huge losses to the country. The Philippines has been losing billions of pesos due to traffic congestion over the years. In August last year, a study by the University of the Philippines National Center for Transportation Study (UP NCTS) placed the average annual losses incurred due to traffic congestion in Metro Manila at over P137 billion as of 2011. The study noted that the country has lost more than P1.5 trillion since 2001 due to traffic, which has led to loss of productivity. Earlier in 1999, studies by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and the Department of Transportation and Communication placed annual losses due to

and maybe limiting the amount of public vehicles on the road would greatly help in the problem of congestion in the country.

On the other hand, for a transport system to be well-managed, it highly depends on the people behind the issuing of the transportation licences and the managing of rail roads, naval stations, and aircraft stations. The people who are appointed and hired to work must have the correct and necessary skills that will complement their job. Singapore makes sure that their workers are all well trained and has the necessary skills to drive public transport vehicles like taxis and buses. People who wish to become drivers must comply to a lot of different requirements which includes the need to enroll and pass a 6 month driver’s vocational course before they can get an approval for a license. (Vocational Licences | Industry Matters | Land

Transport Authority, n.d.) It is not too easy to become a driver in Singapore and it can also be considered a respectable full time job. This is quite the opposite in the Philippines where almost anyone can become a driver because they don’t need to take a vocational course and most of them don’t possess the necessary skills and attitude to become a public driver. Becoming a driver may possibly be one of the first jobs that come to the people’s mind when they cannot graduate from high school or college because it is easy. This may also be the reason for the vast amounts of drivers and jeepneys in the Philippines.

A well-maintained transportation scheme is enforced when the government makes sure that the roads and pathways all over the country are safe and fixed. There should be no bad or broken roads and if there are any, they are renovated and constructed as soon as possible. The occasional maintenance of public transportation vehicles and trains must also be implemented to avoid unexpected breaking down and stopping in the middle of

traffic in Metro Manila at P140 billion. Of this figure, P40 billion went to direct losses, such as wasted gasoline, lost labour hours, employment of traffic aides, and wasted electricity, while P100 billion went to indirect losses, like missed business opportunities and reduced capital inflow due to investors shying away from the country, among others. At the time, the Jica study said that the average speed of vehicles was 12.6 kilometres per hour, and identified the following main reasons for the traffic: Bad driving habits, inadequate traffic enforcement, and poorly coordinated infrastructure projects. For speedy transportation of commodities a good network of roads is essential. Also road mileages nowadays become a symbol of prosperity and advancement of a country. During emergencies such as accidents, the injured person can be rushed immediately to a hospital through a good system of roads. In such cases only a sufferer can understand the value of good system of roads. A good network of roads enables villagers to transport their commodities to the market speedily and easily which helps in the growth of trade and other economic activities all over the country. During floods and droughts, the basic commodities can be efficiently rushed from the other parts of the country and a good system of roads serves as a feeder line for other modes of transport and thus helps indirectly in their development.

A good transportation system is a must for every country if they want to be recognized as a leading and developing country. It symbolizes a stable and continuous growth of a nation. A good transportation scheme reflects the capability of a nation to improve and become better. This is very important because it tells a lot about the country and it helps in the country’s productivity. A country can avoid huge losses in income if its transportation scheme is state of the art. Everything can be related to the transportation system of a country and it affects every single person and every business in the country one way or another. A transportation system is an investment that will either make or break a country which depends on how much and how willing the government is in providing and taking responsibility for the creation of such complicated but very useful system.

operations. The occasional maintenance of the technology, roads and public vehicles are also assured of the government. It is made sure that all vehicles and machines that are used in public transportation are safe for use of operation. Singapore’s disaster response to accidents and breakages is also one of the fastest and dependable all over the world. The wide roads of Singapore make the travel time of disaster response teams faster and quicker. Again, the Philippines could take Singapore as an example to follow. There are many road maintenance projects that are implemented in the country but seemingly, these may just be excuses by the politicians to be able to take huge sums of money from the government for themselves and they compensate by heading the development of bad quality roads. These projects are given a big budget by the government so it is quite fishy that the roads usually require another round of maintenance in just a few years. (Largest projects in the Philippine economy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, n.d.)

Benefits of having a good system of roads include speedy transportation of commodities which helps in the growth of trade and other economic activities all over the country. The farmers and workers from provinces will benefit greatly because their income will be able come faster because of speedy delivery to the markets in the capitals. During floods and droughts, the basic commodities can be efficiently rushed from the other parts of the country and a good system of roads serves as a feeder line for other modes of transport and thus helps indirectly in their development. During emergencies such as accidents, the injured person can be rushed immediately to a hospital through a good system of roads. In such cases only a sufferer can understand the value of good system of roads. Road mileages become a symbol of prosperity and advancement of a country. The people of the country will be happier and more contented because they are able to see where their

taxes are going and would result to the appreciation of the country’s government. A good system of roads and transport management will attract foreigners in visiting and investing in the country which boosts the economy and increases the flow of money within the country.

A good system of roads and transportation will only have positive effects on the country, its people and its economy. However, a bad transport system will incur huge losses to the country. The Philippines has been losing billions of pesos due to traffic congestion over the years. In August last year, a study by the University of the Philippines National Center for Transportation Study (UP NCTS) placed the average annual losses incurred due to traffic congestion in Metro Manila at over P137 billion as of 2011. The study noted that the country has lost more than P1.5 trillion since 2001 due to traffic, which has led to loss of productivity. Earlier in 1999, studies by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Department of Transportation and Communication placed annual losses due to traffic in Metro Manila at P140 billion. P40 billion went to direct losses, such as wasted gasoline, lost labour hours, employment of traffic aides, and wasted electricity, while P100 billion went to indirect losses, like missed business opportunities and reduced capital inflow due to investors shying away from the country, among others. At the time, the JICA study said that the average speed of vehicles was 12.6 kilometres per hour, and identified the following main reasons for the traffic: Bad driving habits, inadequate traffic enforcement, and poorly coordinated infrastructure projects. (IN THE KNOW: Traffic congestion in Metro Manila | Inquirer News, 2013, July 6)

A superior transportation system is a must for every country if they want to be recognized as a leading and developing country. It symbolizes a stable and

continuous growth of a nation. A good transportation scheme reflects the capability of a nation to improve and become better. This is very important because it tells a lot about the country and it helps in the country’s productivity. “A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It’s where the rich use public transportation.” said the mayor of Bogota, Gustavo Petro. This is a clear testament that having a good public transportation scheme is directly proportional to the status of the country. A country can avoid huge losses in income if its transportation scheme is state of the art. Everything can be related to the transportation system of a country and it affects every single person and every business in the country one way or another. A transportation system is an investment that will either make or break a country which depends on how much and how willing the government is in providing and taking responsibility for the creation of such complicated but very useful system. The Philippines is known to be a developing country and if it starts to take actions in investing on its transportation system, it may be one step closer into becoming a first world country.

Major and minor critiques to consider as essay is revised (by peer/by myself) 1. Ideas are scattered, they should presented in a better way. 2. Redundancy in certain parts of the essay and can’t utilize the use of big words properly. The words used are new but the content is almost useless. 3. A lot of ideas are put in one very long paragraph. Very hard to read and understand.

Reflection : I discovered that I tend to write very long paragraphs and put in a lot of ideas all at once. I do not create new paragraphs for new ideas that I am trying to say in my paper. These discoveries greatly helped me in my revising of my essay. I am now better at making essays than before because I know when to create new paragraphs and know a better way to present my ideas.

Reflection : I should change the way I write my essays and make sure to not be shy about creating new paragraphs because very long paragraphs are hard for the readers to understand. I should think of a better way in presenting my ideas to my readers and make sure that they enjoy reading my essays. What I have mentioned above and before this are that things that I have learned from this activity. These will forever be with me as I continue my journey in college.

Intro essay

Exit essay

Uy, Nickolai Cean March 26, 2014

EXIT ESSAY

Traffic Congestion in the Philippines

Everyone living in the Philippines, especially in the capital, is sure to have experienced the

extreme nuisance that is more commonly known as traffic congestion. Every day of their lives, they

have to bear with this problem and it even comes to a point when it already messes with their work

and productivity. Students and workers are both suffering from this issue that seems to be left alone

by the government. This issue is known to be traffic congestion and it is mostly rampant in Metro

Manila. This issue is a common headache to students and workers alike who everyday go out on the

streets to go to their destinations.

This issue is a result of various smaller issues combined together into one. There are a lot of

factors as to why there is a horrible traffic congestion found in Metro Manila. One of these includes

the emergence of huge amounts of jeeps, buses, and other public utility vehicles in the roads that

take up very large amount of space. These vehicles not only take up the supposed space for the

private vehicles but also exemplify very rude and unpleasing behaviour. Cutting in queues and

suddenly stopping in the middle of the road that may cause accidents are some of their common

crimes. If the government lessens and implements a fixed loading and unloading area for the buses,

jeeps and other vehicles that would greatly lessen the accidents and congestion happening on the

road. Another factor would be the combination of the small roads and the unending renovation of

these roads by the government. The government has taken steps in implementing new and quality

roads for the people of their country but it seems that these steps are mere excuses to get money

out of our taxes. I am not saying that they are but if a big budget was given to the contractors to

create and renovate new roads for our cities then why is it that these roads break and call for

another renovation only a few years after their initial project? They cannot say that the budget given

to the contractors are insufficient because road projects are among the largest funded projects in

the Philippines. These all add up to a very fishy scheme and it needs an immediate investigation that

is not headed by the government.

Those two are some of the many factors that affect traffic congestion. There are in fact

many more but these are all solvable if only given the right amount of attention and effort. I have

the confidence to believe that by solving these small problems one by one we could someday end

traffic congestion in our country in the future. And by ending traffic congestion in our country, we

will be one step closer in achieving our main goal which is to transition from a third world country

into a first world country.

Reflective essay

Uy, Nickolai Cean

Reflective Essay

On just my eighth month of studying in De La Salle University, I was required by the

university to take up ENGLCOM, an English reading and writing class. With my course having no

English related major subjects, I was quite worried with how I’ll fare in that class. I was never really a

good writer back in high school and I was happy when I finally graduated because I thought that I

won’t ever have to study English again. I was wrong and I spent three months studying various

writing and reading schools.

I am quite happy with what I have learned in the span of those days. Before I took up

ENGLCOM, most of my essays and writings were based more on my personal opinion and thoughts.

MY claims were all coming from statements that had no concrete proof and were most of the time

just gossip. What I was writing were opinionated and baseless essays, not academic essays.

Thankfully though, I learned how to search for references in books, research papers, and the

internet that would back up my claims and statements. I was also thought the proper way of citing

references both in text and out of text to avoid getting accused of plagiarism. I always thought that

writing essays were simple and you just had to tell the readers what your thoughts were and try to

convince them to believe what you were saying but I was very wrong and I learned that writing good

academic essays take a lot of work to be completed. A good example of how my writing style has

changed after taking up ENGLCOM is my entry and exit essays. My entry essay way back in the first

day of classes is very different from the exit essay that I have written a few weeks before. Almost all

of my points in my entry essay were opinionated and reflective while in my exit essays, they were

backed up by references and sources. Also, I am now trying to avoid the use of my own reflections

when writing academic essay as opposed to what I usually did before.

I remember our first major task in ENGLCOM which was to write an extended definition

essay. I had a hard time coming up with one because I thought that there was no reason as to why

someone should know or find out the extended or deeper meaning of a word or a statement. I

overcame this problem by finally understanding the meaning and knowing the importance of writing

extended definition essays. I also remember having to write an argumentative essay which was

either supposed to be a problem-solution or a claim/counter-claim essay. The essay was also

supposed to be related to our extended definition essay and because of that requirement I chose to

write a problem solution essay. The reason why I chose that is because I had some thoughts and

sources in mind that could help me in writing a solution for the issues that were talked about in my

initial essay. The problems that I encountered while writing my essay were how I would present my

solutions and how I would make my presentation very effective. Luckily, with the guidance of my

professor, I was able to construct a problem solution essay that could actually help our government

solve the issue that we are facing right now.

I am glad to say that I have completed and achieved most, if not all, of the ENGLCOM and e-

portfolio objectives that were given to me. Though it was tiring and very time consuming, I was able

to fulfil the tasks that were assigned to me. I always feel a sense of accomplishment whenever I

finish a paper, whether it’s for our WC or RVLC class, because I usually get grades that go over my

expectation. I am in great joy because of the things that I have learned in ENGLCOM. I am sure that I

will be taking what I have learned all throughout my stay in college and even after.

drafts

Uy, Nickolai Cean

S20A

The Philippines has the largest population density in its capital than any other country

in Asia. More than 20 million people are living in Manila and that accounts to almost one

fourth of the country’s population. As time continues to pass, more and more people are

going to the capital in search of a better life and with so many people in Manila, traffic

congestion cannot be avoided. The Philippines has one of the worst transportation systems in

the world. The country’s government, however, took certain actions in fixing or minimizing

the problem that they are facing but through the years have continued to fail. This is the

social issue and problem that is indirectly affecting everyone living and working in the

Metro. Businessmen, students and workers have to bear the burden of having to deal with

heavy traffic and impolite public vehicle drivers every single day. This paper proposes some

solutions to address traffic congestion in Manila.

that sharing a proposal to solve this problem might open the eyes of the people and

government and they’ll start to do the proper course of actions and give the right amount of

effort in solving this very troublesome issue.

My idea in solving the problem that has continuously been burdening everyone in the

capital involves various steps that the government must take in order for it to take full effect.

The problem with traffic congestion is it is not just one simple problem, it is a result of

multiple small problems all combined into one. So in order to solve this issue, we must go to

its roots and first solve the small problems. From my observations, some of the reasons for

the cause of traffic around the Metro are the huge amount of jeepneys, buses, and tricycles

and other public vehicles scattered around the metro, the rules that aren’t followed, the never

ending maintenance of roads and highways, the traffic officials who just do it for the money,

the rude, reckless and impolite drivers just ruin the day of everyone and make everything

worst and of course the roads that always seem to be in construction.

I hope that through my proposal the government will have an idea on how they could

fix this problem. My goal is to inform the ignorant people in the Metro and to make the

government notice that this is becoming a very bad problem for the country but it is still a

solvable. This is important because our resources and time are constantly wasted because of

simple traffic and that lessens our productivity. Believe it or not, traffic affects the economy

of our country and if we find a way to fix this problem, we might also find a way to become a

better country. Every development starts with a small step and I believe that this is a good

way to start. In order to fix this problem, everyone has to do their part in the process. This is a

country effort if we really would want to end the burden of traffic in our country.

Uy, Nickolai Cean 16/02/14

ENGLCOM

A good transportation system is characterized by an orderly, well-managed, well-

maintained transportation scheme. A country with a good transport system will have positive

and beneficial effects to the country's economy, people and over all well-being. Orderliness

in a transportation system can be seen when certain rules or methods are implemented in the

traffic rules. The behaviour of the consumers and drivers also play a big part in the

manifestation of orderliness in a country's transportation system. On the other hand, for a

transport system to be well-managed, it highly depends on the people behind the issuing of

the transportation licences and the managing of rail roads, naval stations, and aircraft stations.

The people who are appointed and hired to work must have the correct and necessary skills

that will complement their job. A well-maintained transportation scheme is enforced when

the government makes sure that the roads and pathways all over the country are safe and

fixed. There should be no bad or broken roads and if there are any, they are renovated and

constructed as soon as possible. The occasional maintenance of public transportation vehicles

and trains must also be implemented to avoid unexpected breaking down and stopping in the

middle of operations.

A good example of a country that is well known to have a world class transportation

system would be the island country in Southeast Asia, Singapore. Singapore boasts its use of

state of the art technology that puts them near the top of the list of the countries with the best

transportation system. Among the numerous transport initiatives that Singapore has taken, the

implementation of ITS or the Intelligent Transport Systems, is its main project and has the

most impact in the transportation scheme of Singapore. ITS are advanced applications which,

without embodying intelligence as such, aim to provide innovative services relating to

different modes of transport and traffic management and enable various users to be better

informed and make safer, more coordinated, and 'smarter' use of transport networks. In land-

scarce Singapore, ITS’ sophisticated traffic and control systems maximise road network

efficiency capacity as well as monitor and manage traffic flow. Singapore relies on

innovative information communication and ITS solutions to make roads safer and keep traffic

flowing smoothly. ITS allow timely dissemination of traffic information which is key to help

motorists take the best route to their destinations. The ITS solution also plays a role in

protecting the environment and contributes towards cleaner air and better quality of life for

Singaporeans. This makes Singapore a more liveable city and gives motorists more pleasant

journeys on the roads. According to Singapore’s Land Transport Authority, some of the vital

components within the ITS network include the ITSC Ops Centre which is powered by an

Operation Control Centre (OCC) which runs 24/7, ITSC monitors traffic with an array of

intelligent transport systems and deploy ground recovery crew to assist motorists who are in

distress. Real-time traffic advisory information is also provided to motorists through

electronic message signs. i-Transport which provides an integrated and unified platform that

centralises the management of all ITS including traffic signal control, traffic monitoring,

incident management, tunnel and highway monitoring and provision of real-time traffic

advisory information. Expressway Monitoring & Advisory System (EMAS) which monitors

traffic along expressways, alerts motorists of traffic incidents and ensures swift response to

these incidents. EMAS Arterial which is a total of 10 major arterial road corridors with a

combined road length of about 142-km will be fitted with EMAS Arterial capabilities by

early 2014. Extending EMAS to the major arterial roads will manage traffic and guide

motorists more effectively. Junction Electronic Eyes (J-Eyes) which is a system of

surveillance cameras that monitor the traffic condition at major signalised junctions. Green

Link Determining (GLIDE) System which monitors, adjusts and optimises green time in an

intelligent and adaptive manner to provide “green-wave” along main roads in response to

changing traffic demand. e-Traffic Scan which uses taxis equipped with Global Positioning

System as probes on the road network to provide motorists with information on the traffic

conditions island-wide. Green Man which extends green man time for both the elderly and

pedestrians with disabilities to cross the road. Your Speed Sign which displays the real time

speed of vehicles and alerts motorists that they are speeding. Parking Guidance System is a

technology that provides real-time information on parking spaces availability to reduce

circulation of traffic in various areas. The city has also pioneered the introduction of a variety

of technologies to the system, including one of the world’s first Electronic Road Pricing

systems (ERP – tolls that vary according to traffic flows, and work as a congestion charge).

The ERP uses a short-range radio communication system to deduct charges from smart cards

inserted in the vehicles. Other Intelligent elements include an Expressway Monitoring and

Advisory System, alerting motorists to traffic accidents on major roads and a GPS system

installed on the city taxis, which monitors and reports on traffic conditions around the city.

All information from the systems feed into the Intelligent Transport System’s Operations

Control Centre, which consolidates the data and provides real-time traffic information to the

public. This technology has taken Singapore’s traffic control facility to sky height. For a

country to have a good transportation system, inventing on ITS would be the best option

because it is highly effective and efficient. Besides the use of advanced technology,

Singapore has also implemented specific road rules and regulations that are religiously

followed by everyone in the island. A good example would be the implementation of various

rules for the buses. Buses in Singapore cannot unload and load passengers anywhere they

please. There are designated drop off and pick up points for the buses all over the country.

Also the buses follow a strict schedule and route so that they can avoid or minimize traffic

congestion and also create a uniform system for their public transport. You would seldom see

road accidents relating to buses in Singapore because of this system. Singapore also makes

sure that their workers are all well trained and has the necessary skills to drive public

transport vehicles like taxis and buses. People who wish to become drivers must take and

pass numerous tests which includes driving, drug, psychological and personality tests before

they can get an approval for a license. It is not too easy to become a driver in Singapore and it

can also be considered a respectable full time job. The occasional maintenance of the

technology, roads and public vehicles are also assured of the government. It is made sure that

all vehicles and machines that are used in public transportation are safe for use of operation.

Singapore’s disaster response to accidents and breakages is also one of the fastest and

dependable all over the world. The wide roads of Singapore make the travel time of disaster

response teams faster and quicker. Thanks to its Intelligent Transport System, Singapore is

one of the least congested major cities, with an average car speed on main roads of 27 km/h

(17 miles per hour), compared to an average speed of 16 km/h in London, 11 km/h in Tokyo,

and 5 km/h in Jakarta. This is an impressive feat considering that the population has more

than doubled since 1990.

A good system of roads and transportation will only have positive effects on the

country, its people and its economy. However, a bad transport system will incur huge losses

to the country. The Philippines has been losing billions of pesos due to traffic congestion over

the years. In August last year, a study by the University of the Philippines National Center for

Transportation Study (UP NCTS) placed the average annual losses incurred due to traffic

congestion in Metro Manila at over P137 billion as of 2011. The study noted that the country

has lost more than P1.5 trillion since 2001 due to traffic, which has led to loss of productivity.

Earlier in 1999, studies by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and the

Department of Transportation and Communication placed annual losses due to traffic in

Metro Manila at P140 billion. Of this figure, P40 billion went to direct losses, such as wasted

gasoline, lost labour hours, employment of traffic aides, and wasted electricity, while P100

billion went to indirect losses, like missed business opportunities and reduced capital inflow

due to investors shying away from the country, among others. At the time, the Jica study said

that the average speed of vehicles was 12.6 kilometres per hour, and identified the following

main reasons for the traffic: Bad driving habits, inadequate traffic enforcement, and poorly

coordinated infrastructure projects. For speedy transportation of commodities a good network

of roads is essential. Also road mileages nowadays become a symbol of prosperity and

advancement of a country. During emergencies such as accidents, the injured person can be

rushed immediately to a hospital through a good system of roads. In such cases only a

sufferer can understand the value of good system of roads. A good network of roads enables

villagers to transport their commodities to the market speedily and easily which helps in the

growth of trade and other economic activities all over the country. During floods and

droughts, the basic commodities can be efficiently rushed from the other parts of the country

and a good system of roads serves as a feeder line for other modes of transport and thus helps

indirectly in their development.

A good transportation system is a must for every country if they want to be

recognized as a leading and developing country. It symbolizes a stable and continuous growth

of a nation. A good transportation scheme reflects the capability of a nation to improve and

become better. This is very important because it tells a lot about the country and it helps in

the country’s productivity. A country can avoid huge losses in income if its transportation

scheme is state of the art. Everything can be related to the transportation system of a country

and it affects every single person and every business in the country one way or another. A

transportation system is an investment that will either make or break a country which depends

on how much and how willing the government is in providing and taking responsibility for

the creation of such complicated but very useful system.

Uy, Nickolai Cean 22/03/14

ENGLCOM

Advanced Traffic Management System

For a nation to be deemed developing or growing, it should have key components that

only the 1st world countries have. One of these is having a traffic management system that

can be considered state of the art and revolutionary. A person could immediately identify the

status of a country by just observing its transportation system. It highly reflects the ability of

a country to cope with the continuous growth of its population and the problems that come

with it. If the Philippines wish to continue its development and transition from a third world

country into a first world country, it might as well start with its traffic manage system.

Traffic management system (TMS) is the method of control for roadwork, that is, the

measures that are generally intended to improve road safety for all its users and ease

congestion or control the use of the cars. In other contexts, it could also refer to the process of

determining timely and economic delivery methods, arranging both the internal and external

transportation and ensuring that shipment status and logistics are efficiently tracked. TMS

would be the steps and actions that the government would make to ensure proper and

convenient travel for the people of the country. These steps range from the development of

roads to the issuing of licences and many more road related factors.

A good transportation management system is characterized by an orderly, well-

managed, well-maintained transportation scheme. A country with a first-rate transport system

will have positive and beneficial effects to the country's economy, people and over all well-

being. There are already many countries with advanced and quality transportation systems

and a good example of a country that is well known to have a world class transportation

system would be the island country in Southeast Asia, Singapore. Singapore boasts its use of

state of the art technology that puts them near the top of the list of the countries with the best

transportation system. Among the numerous transport initiatives that Singapore has taken, the

implementation of ITS or the Intelligent Transport Systems, is its main project and has the

most impact in the transportation scheme of Singapore.

ITS are advanced applications which, without embodying intelligence as such, aim to

provide innovative services relating to different modes of transport and traffic management

and enable various users to be better informed and make safer, more coordinated, and

'smarter' use of transport networks. In land-scarce Singapore, ITS’ sophisticated traffic and

control systems maximise road network efficiency capacity as well as monitor and manage

traffic flow. Singapore relies on innovative information communication and ITS solutions to

make roads safer and keep traffic flowing smoothly. ITS allow timely dissemination of traffic

information which is key to help motorists take the best route to their destinations. The ITS

solution also plays a role in protecting the environment and contributes towards cleaner air

and better quality of life for Singaporeans. This makes Singapore a more liveable city and

gives motorists more pleasant journeys on the roads. This is also a clear reason as to why the

Philippines should make the effort to adapt the ITS to its own transportation scheme. This

technology has taken Singapore’s traffic control facility to sky height. For a country to have a

good transportation system, investing on ITS would be a great option because it is highly

effective and efficient. Singapore is one of the least congested major cities, with an average

car speed on main roads of 27 km/h, compared to an average speed of 16 km/h in London, 11

km/h in Tokyo, and 5 km/h in Jakarta. This is an impressive feat considering that the

population has more than doubled since 1990. (Intelligent Transport Systems | Managing

Traffic & Congestion | Roads & Motoring | Land Transport Authority, n.d.)

Orderliness in a transportation system can be seen when certain rules or methods are

implemented in the traffic rules that are to be followed by the people. The behaviour of the

consumers and drivers also play a big part in the manifestation of orderliness in a country's

transportation system. Besides the use of advanced technology, Singapore has also

implemented specific road rules and regulations that are religiously followed by everyone in

the island. A good example would be the implementation of various rules for the buses.

Buses in Singapore cannot unload and load passengers anywhere they please. There are

designated drop off and pick up points for the buses all over the country. Also the buses

follow a strict schedule and route so that they can avoid or minimize traffic congestion and

also create a uniform system for their public transport. Road accidents relating to buses in

Singapore are seldom seen because of this system. The Philippines should consider

Singapore’s approach in maintaining orderliness because the country’s transportation scheme

can be seen as very unruly and disorderly. Even if the Philippines has no advanced

technology yet, the simple implementation of bus stops and maybe limiting the amount of

public vehicles on the road would greatly help in the problem of congestion in the country.

On the other hand, for a transport system to be well-managed, it highly depends on

the people behind the issuing of the transportation licences and the managing of rail roads,

naval stations, and aircraft stations. The people who are appointed and hired to work must

have the correct and necessary skills that will complement their job. Singapore makes sure

that their workers are all well trained and has the necessary skills to drive public transport

vehicles like taxis and buses. People who wish to become drivers must comply to a lot of

different requirements which includes the need to enroll and pass a 6 month driver’s

vocational course before they can get an approval for a license. (Vocational Licences | Industry

Matters | Land Transport Authority, n.d.) It is not too easy to become a driver in Singapore and

it can also be considered a respectable full time job. This is quite the opposite in the

Philippines where almost anyone can become a driver because they don’t need to take a

vocational course and most of them don’t possess the necessary skills and attitude to become

a public driver. Becoming a driver may possibly be one of the first jobs that come to the

people’s mind when they cannot graduate from high school or college because it is easy. This

may also be the reason for the vast amounts of drivers and jeepneys in the Philippines.

A well-maintained transportation scheme is enforced when the government makes

sure that the roads and pathways all over the country are safe and fixed. There should be no

bad or broken roads and if there are any, they are renovated and constructed as soon as

possible. The occasional maintenance of public transportation vehicles and trains must also

be implemented to avoid unexpected breaking down and stopping in the middle of operations.

The occasional maintenance of the technology, roads and public vehicles are also assured of

the government. It is made sure that all vehicles and machines that are used in public

transportation are safe for use of operation. Singapore’s disaster response to accidents and

breakages is also one of the fastest and dependable all over the world. The wide roads of

Singapore make the travel time of disaster response teams faster and quicker. Again, the

Philippines could take Singapore as an example to follow. There are many road maintenance

projects that are implemented in the country but seemingly, these may just be excuses by the

politicians to be able to take huge sums of money from the government for themselves and

they compensate by heading the development of bad quality roads. These projects are given a

big budget by the government so it is quite fishy that the roads usually require another round

of maintenance in just a few years. (Largest projects in the Philippine economy - Wikipedia, the

free encyclopedia, n.d.)

Benefits of having a good system of roads include speedy transportation of

commodities which helps in the growth of trade and other economic activities all over the

country. The farmers and workers from provinces will benefit greatly because their income

will be able come faster because of speedy delivery to the markets in the capitals. During

floods and droughts, the basic commodities can be efficiently rushed from the other parts of

the country and a good system of roads serves as a feeder line for other modes of transport

and thus helps indirectly in their development. During emergencies such as accidents, the

injured person can be rushed immediately to a hospital through a good system of roads. In

such cases only a sufferer can understand the value of good system of roads. Road mileages

become a symbol of prosperity and advancement of a country. The people of the country will

be happier and more contented because they are able to see where their taxes are going and

would result to the appreciation of the country’s government. A good system of roads and

transport management will attract foreigners in visiting and investing in the country which

boosts the economy and increases the flow of money within the country.

A good system of roads and transportation will only have positive effects on the

country, its people and its economy. However, a bad transport system will incur huge losses

to the country. The Philippines has been losing billions of pesos due to traffic congestion over

the years. In August last year, a study by the University of the Philippines National Center for

Transportation Study (UP NCTS) placed the average annual losses incurred due to traffic

congestion in Metro Manila at over P137 billion as of 2011. The study noted that the country

has lost more than P1.5 trillion since 2001 due to traffic, which has led to loss of productivity.

Earlier in 1999, studies by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the

Department of Transportation and Communication placed annual losses due to traffic in

Metro Manila at P140 billion. P40 billion went to direct losses, such as wasted gasoline, lost

labour hours, employment of traffic aides, and wasted electricity, while P100 billion went to

indirect losses, like missed business opportunities and reduced capital inflow due to investors

shying away from the country, among others. At the time, the JICA study said that the

average speed of vehicles was 12.6 kilometres per hour, and identified the following main

reasons for the traffic: Bad driving habits, inadequate traffic enforcement, and poorly

coordinated infrastructure projects. (IN THE KNOW: Traffic congestion in Metro Manila |

Inquirer News, 2013, July 6)

A superior transportation system is a must for every country if they want to be

recognized as a leading and developing country. It symbolizes a stable and continuous growth

of a nation. A good transportation scheme reflects the capability of a nation to improve and

become better. This is very important because it tells a lot about the country and it helps in

the country’s productivity. “A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It’s

where the rich use public transportation.” said the mayor of Bogota, Gustavo Petro. This is a

clear testament that having a good public transportation scheme is directly proportional to the

status of the country. A country can avoid huge losses in income if its transportation scheme

is state of the art. Everything can be related to the transportation system of a country and it

affects every single person and every business in the country one way or another. A

transportation system is an investment that will either make or break a country which depends

on how much and how willing the government is in providing and taking responsibility for

the creation of such complicated but very useful system. The Philippines is known to be a

developing country and if it starts to take actions in investing on its transportation system, it

may be one step closer into becoming a first world country.

REFERENCES

Benefits of Good System of Roads. (2010, July 5). Retrieved March 16, 2014, from

http://constructionfield.net/benefits-of-good-system-of-roads/

Commuters to gov't: Limit cars to half of the roads. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2014, from

http://www.rappler.com/nation/50423-share-road-public-transport-air-pollution

IN THE KNOW: Traffic congestion in Metro Manila | Inquirer News. (2013, July 6).

Retrieved March 16, 2014, from http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/439233/in-the-know-

traffic-congestion-in-metro-manila

Intelligent Transport Systems | Managing Traffic & Congestion | Roads & Motoring | Land

Transport Authority. (n.d.). Retrieved March 13, 2014, from

http://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltaweb/en/roads-and-motoring/managing-traffic-and-

congestion/intelligent-transport-systems.html

Largest projects in the Philippine economy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.).

Retrieved March 18, 2014, from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largest_projects_in_the_Philippine_economy

Singapore: Intelligent Transport System. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2014, from

http://cityclimateleadershipawards.com/singapore-intelligent-transport-system/

Ten Essentials of a Good Road. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2014, from

http://techtransfer.berkeley.edu/newsletter/08-3/ten-essentials-of-a-good-road.php

The Problem of Traffic in Metro Manila - Joshua Chua. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://sites.google.com/a/my.xs.edu.ph/joshua-chua-14/social-studies/the-problem-of-

traffic-in-metro-manila

Vocational Licences | Industry Matters | Land Transport Authority. (n.d.).

Retrieved March 18, 2014, from http://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltaweb/en/industry-

matters/vocational-licences.html

What Is Traffic Management - Ask.com. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2014, from

http://www.ask.com/question/what-is-traffic-management