Transportation in the Rural Areas 1

The Introduction of an Effective and Efficient Rural Transportation Leading to the Economic

Growth of the Philippines

A Research-based Extended Essay

Presented to

Prof. Aida M. Alfaro

Mapua University

in partial fulfilment of the requirements in

English for Academic Purposes

ENG11 A1

Submitted by:

Blancaflor, John Michael

Cardeo, Bryan Kenneth P.

Quintero, Gabriel Patrick D.

June 16, 2017

 Transportation in the Rural Areas 2

Abstract

The rural transport system in the Philippines is an important component to the development of
areas outside the cities. The goal of this research is to identify the various problems in the current
transport system in rural areas such as the lack of infrastructure and sufficient resources among
others. This research also provides suggestions on how to address the issues stated.

Over the course of this research, several sources of information have been used such as e-books,
and websites made by professionals. In addition, an interview with a professor from Mapua was
conducted to gain more insights on the economic aspect of transport in rural areas of the
Philippines.
With majority of the infrastructure remaining either unfinished or completely non-existent, it is
clearly seen how much rural communities are suffering from the current state of the transport
system. It is widely agreed upon by various researchers that a reliable transport system can
greatly improve the quality of life as well as the efficiency of rural areas therefore preventing
isolation and significantly reducing poverty in those regions.
In conclusion, the development of the rural transport system can have an extremely positive long
term effects on the rural areas of the Philippines. Therefore, it is ideal to place a high priority on
improving the current system.
 Transportation in the Rural Areas 3

Introduction

In accordance with the Mapua Universitys mission, students are being encouraged to

engage in publishable, and/or economically viable research, development, and innovation as well

as to engage in providing state-of-the-art solutions to the problems of industries and

communities, to be able to come up to its vision that students will be among the great

professionals, products of a university that are among the best. The course Eng11 requires its

takers nothing less but to further develop their skills and wisdom, in this manner, the researchers

The Joker Squad hereby undertake one of the factors of economic growth, the rural public

transportation. The topic explores the issues regarding Philippines rural public transportation; its

various problems, and its current day situation and improvements that further leads to the

concept about its significance to the benefits of the citizens and the overall impact to the

economy. Mapuans should be aware that the problems regarding rural public transportation are

not minor issues but needed to be resolved since productivity is not just centered in urban cities

but most of natural and human resources potential also exists in rural areas, hence, Mapuans are

challenged to take part too, as future builders and professionals, to establish and to focus on

future developments, plans, and solutions in rural areas. With this concepts and concerns at

mind, we able to arrive with the thesis statement, The introduction of an affordable, reliable and

effective public transport service is vital to the convenience of the public commuters and

improvement of the economy in the rural areas of the Philippines.

There is no law requiring any entity to provide public transportation, but it is such a vital

service, most communities work hard to offer it in some form. The public transportation keeps

the wheels of commerce turning by getting hundreds of thousands of people to work, school,
 Transportation in the Rural Areas 4

services, shopping, and health care, particularly those people who cannot drive or do not own a

car. The modern-day issue of rural public transportation in the Philippines is a major problem,

since we are an archipelagic country, it is complicated to bridge one city or nation to another.

Transportation is crucial to the development of country, to eliminate poverty and inefficient

productivity. The advance management of transportation system, as well as transportation

infrastructure, should be more strictly implemented and should be more organized especially in

rural areas, the fact that our urban cities are subjected to poverty and corruption, how much more

to rural areas? Thereby, these concerns aim to inform every student, especially future builders

and leaders, that our nations progress lies within them, hence, they should be more aware of the

status of the economy of the country and the aspects that contribute to its growth, which one of

them is transportation.

The research aims to answer the following questions:

1) What is the current state of the Philippines Rural Public Transportation

2) What are the difficulties encountered in improving the rural transportation system here in

the Philippines?

3) What are the different steps that the government has done in improving the rural

transportation system?

4) What other possible improvements can be done to enhance the effectivity and efficiency of

rural transport here in the Philippines?

5) How does an effective and efficient rural transport system bring economic growth and

different advantages to the rural areas?

Transportation in the Rural Areas 5

Shoup and Homa (2010) defined rural as a terminology that can cover cultural,

geographic, and economic aspects. In addition, population density is not a sufficient

basis for determining whether a place is rural or not. Rural areas suffers from many

problems when it comes to accessibility, connections as well as the global changes in

the economic market place. Transportation on the other hand, can be defined as an act,

process, or instance of transporting or being transported and means of conveyance from

one place to another (Merriam Webster Dictionary Online n.d. para. 1). As a country

develops, a reliable transport system becomes essential. This is especially important for large

countries, like the Philippines, with underdeveloped rural communities and farmlands. The

Asian Development Bank (ADB) (2012) states that, the transport infrastructure across the

country has been developed but is performing poorly. With the Philippine economy heavily

dependent on the transport sector, its current state barely measures up those of its neighbours.

(pp. 1-2) ADB (2012) describes that the transportation system in the Philippines consist

of road, water, and air transport. Road transportation is considered as the most

common form of transport while the water transportation sector plays an important

role also due to the archipelagic nature of the country. According to the Philippine

National Implementation Plan (NIP, n.d.), the passenger transport share consists of 1.22%

water, 0.15% rail, 0.49% air and 98.14% road while in cargo transport, 41.95% water,

0.06% air, 0.00% rail and 57.99% road. Based on these statistics, road transport is

the mainly used way of transport in passenger and cargo transport.

Transportation in the Rural Areas 6

Additionally, ADB (2012) claimed also that the poor, inadequate maintenance

of the quality of road network, high traffic volume, congestion, safety concerns in

interisland shipping as well as the air traffic experienced are the common struggles in

both urban and rural areas which hinders the effectiveness of transportation. The issue

of safety was another problem the Philippine government attempted address by implementing

a vessel retirement and replacement program; nationwide mobile registration, licensing, and

franchising of motor bancas (wooden double outriggers); nationwide revalidation of ships

documentation; (iv) pilot implementation of an audit-based ship inspection system; (v)

enhancement of competence of technical personnel; (vi) implementation of the categorization

of navigational areas; (vii) a review of safety policies; and (viii) nationwide revalidation of

crew documents. (Asian Development Bank, 2012, p. 3)

According to them however, 36% of documented maritime accidents are caused by

natural causes while 24% was of human error, leaving it up to vessel crews to take up

responsibility in the name of safety. (pp. 3) The main road transportation used are the

jeepneys, tricycles and buses, and railways. However, the government also has done

something to improve the difficulties encountered in air, road and water transport like

putting tolled expressways in Northern and Southern parts of Manila in order to link

the provinces with reduced travel time, providing important railways like the MRT,

LRT and PNR, developing the roll on roll off (RORO) ferry services that

shortens long-distance shipping services and promoting to liberalize air transport which

was stated as, In particular, it has been promoting the development of secondary

international gateways through negotiating bilateral pocket open skies agreements

pertaining to secondary airports in the Philippines. (ADB, 2012, p.3-4)

Transportation in the Rural Areas 7

The problem in rural transport continues to exist due to a lack of availability in

service, accessibility, infrastructure and not being connected to other modes of transportation

(Velaga et. al., 2012). Many rural communities have declining populations and that

with a diminished tax base to support funding for maintenance and preservation of

the expansive system of roads and bridges (Shoup and Homa, 2012, p. 11). Shoup

and Homa (2012) also claimed that the majority of the rural areas and small towns

lack the money needed to hire designers and planners that can create useful plans and

strategies that will utilize the investments for highway while preventing the damage to

those existing town centres and community.

ONeill, (2011) explains that, there is a lack of support, supplies and services in

order to make the necessary improvements. He also states that, The solution lies in making

our rural development work more attractive, many who get involved stay forever but we need

to do more to make the rural development work attractive than we do at present. (p. 1)

While the changes of practices in the water transport subsector were a great boon

on its part, it still has its share of problems. ADB (2012) tells that while the Philippine Port

Authority (PPA) has already provided port facilities for ro-ro vessels, they are still

understaffed. (pp. 3) This is supported by their statement, While ro-ro facilities are already

in place in some ports, prioritization of the development, construction, and rehabilitation of

ro-ro ports is hampered by the need for massive capital outlays. (p. 3)

According to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for

Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), logistics encompasses the planning, implementation

and control of forward and reverse flow of goods, services, and information from the

point of origin to the point of consumption. Logistics also involves the storage of goods
Transportation in the Rural Areas 8

and information. (Institute for Development and Econometric Analysis (IDEA) et. al.,

2016, p. 7)

Another definition has been given by the Official Gazette of the Philippines

(2016) which describes logistics as a part of supply chain system which includes the

flow of information, material handling, production, packaging, inventory, transportation,

warehousing, border regulatory procedures and finally, security.

Logistics has been identified as a key element in achieving the reduction of

poverty as well as the inclusive economic growth. The logistics sector contributed to

6.1 % of the countrys gross domestic product during the 3rd quarter of 2014 which is

extensive to the impact in the economic growth. (IDEA et. al., 2016) However, IDEA, et.

al. (2016) reported the following problems that the industry faces like poor

infrastructure, governments non-compliance to international agreements, lack of a

national master plan, lack of a central coordinating agency, unclear government

regulations, red tape that leads to corruption, and the lack of skill training programs

for the new hires and professionals in the industry that resulted to the high logistic

costs in the Philippines.

As stated previously, a lack of dedicated investment can cause efforts to upgrade

the present infrastructure to be delayed. (Asian Development Bank, 2012, pp. 8) According

to Shoup and Homa (2010), Many rural communities have declining populations and with

that a diminished tax base to support funding for maintenance and preservation of the

expansive system of roads and bridges. (p. 11) With very little in the way of funds, it

becomes highly unlikely that these communities will be able to indefinitely support their

current system or even new implementations.

Transportation in the Rural Areas 9

However, funding is not the only aspect of investment that brings poor

maintenance practices and development to a halt. In regards to logistics, Donnges (2001)

believes local governments are in the best position to assess and address the limitations and

issues of their respective communities. Donnges (2001) also discusses that, the local

governments of rural communities unfortunately often find themselves short of individuals

with the knowledge necessary to improve, maintain as well as organise the transition to a

convenient and efficient rural transport system. (p. 4) This is supported by the ADB (2012)

who believe that the government and institutions in charge of transport have poor quality

control as well as weak overall management and procedure.

Improvements to the Rural Transport System require material resources such as

building materials such as gravel, asphalt, concrete etc. This in turn, requires significant

funding and skilled personnel to properly organize and allocate their distribution. On the

issue of roads, ONeil (2012) claims that rural roads are often made of gravel and earth

which degrade rapidly over time, with gravel roads needing a significant amount of gravel in

their maintenance. (pp. 3) Using South Africa as an example ONeill (2012) also claims, In

the South Africa region alone, it is estimated that some 150 million cubic meters of gravel

are consumed annually. (p. 3) As previously mentioned, the subject of ro-ro ships and the

issue of their poor maintenance were discussed. Considering that a lack of funds also affects

the amount of materials the government can afford, it can also be inferred that ro-ro services

do not have the necessary resources to keep their vessels in good repair.

Exploring why there are problems on rural transportation that have been remained

unsolved, there are several explanations that are summarized and might help in creating a

hint to a possible solution. According to O'Neill (2011), a significant limitation with

Transportation in the Rural Areas 10

establishing and maintaining rural roads is simply because it is rural. The accessibility of

roads where they are necessary is a problem. Complex management could be a hard task.

There is insufficient capacity of locals to enhance the contracting on projects because

engineers are often hard to communicate with each other. The younger engineers tend to stay

on urban because of high productivity and rate.

Based on institutional document by Asian Development Bank (2011), there is a

creation of problem tree for the transport sector. There are many different causes that will

further lead into the Philippines primary problem that is poverty and inequality. Limited

resources and capability of local government units to manage local roads and traffic, and to

integrate local network with national road network will further lead into lack of knowledge

and tools in planning, design, and implementation that will also lead to weak institutional

capacity in development planning, and implementation that is a factor to inadequate transport

infrastructure and poor quality transport services which will bring to bad movement of goods

and services and restricted mobility of people. After that, reduced economic growth and poor

investment climate will take place that will result to finally, poverty and inequality.

As a bright realization from what mainly keeps the challenges and difficulties

linger, an indication and introduction to a potential solution made by Asian Development

Bank (2011) and states that Stimulating broad-based economic growth, reducing poverty,

and improving the welfare of people inhabiting the sub regions numerous remote islands is a

major challenge, the solution to which starts with improved connectivity.

Engaging the focus of builders to rural development will be ideal since

unavailability of support and implementation is obviously inadequate. Constructing

sustainable infrastructure just to make the rural less maintenance required will only take
Transportation in the Rural Areas 11

more time and work, the conventional way of design and construction but in continuous way

will be more effective since they can be easy to maintain once the economic status of the

rural improves. For instance, the rural engineer needs to know how to convert a local

material to a suitable road construction material, and assess the design limitations and

durability. He or she needs to understand the complexities of the local watershed and

construction capability limitations O'Neill (2011, p.1)

In coming up with a partial conclusion to the problem, the Asian Development

Bank (2011) states that to address the three core issues, the strategy supports four key

areas of intervention: (i) Improvement of national highways, (ii) development of urban

transport, (iii) strengthening of sector, Governance and (iv) facilitation of private sector

infrastructure development and regional operations. The strategic linkages underpinning

these four areas of support are shown in the figure.

Starkey and Hine (2014) describe that poverty is an issue in rural areas due

to isolation by distance. Rural isolation can be connected with low productivity in

agriculture, poor healthcare, poverty from unemployment, economic opportunities, and

education. The lack of basic infrastructure which consists of bridges, trails, and roads

makes it difficult for poor people to have an access to different services.

According to O Neil (2011) , rural roads are the lifeline of rural communities.

It was found out in a study performed in a South-East Asia, there is a strong

connection between poverty and access to infrastructure. Specifically, there are also

issues encountered when it comes to low-cost gravel roads which includes the

following: Short road-life expectation due to erosion and wear, lack of drainage and
Transportation in the Rural Areas 12

watercourse crossings, damage to health and detriment to farming productivity from

dust, and damage to road users and equipment from rough roads. (ONeil, 2011, p. 2)

ADB( 2012 ) reported that the Philippines was ranked 87th of the 144 countries

surveyed for the road quality, 94th for the railroads, 112 for the airports , and ranked

120th for the port infrastructure. Poor performance in the transport sector has

reinforced the perception that the Philippines is not a good investment location due to

the loss of economic opportunities, increased pollution, and decreased productivity

caused by poor transport infrastructure. (ADB, 2012, p.6)

According to Mattson (2015), data from American Community Survey (ACS),

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), National Household Travel Survey (NHTS), and

American Housing Survey (AHS) show that people in rural communities have a higher need

for vehicles. (pp. 5) As it is in reference to a rural community, the same can definitely be said

for people in the Philippines. However, the Asian Development Bank (2012) believes that

As in other urban areas, road-based public transport in Metro Manila is provided entirely by

the private sector. There are an estimated 433 bus companies operating 805 routes. The

majority of bus companies own more than 10 units, with only 7 bus companies owning 100

units or more. Jeepneys serve 785 routes in Metro Manila, with many jeepney operators

owning only one unit. In addition to jeepneys, air-conditioned Asian utility vehicles provide

express services in several areas of Metro Manila, together with taxis and localized modes of

transport such as tricycles and pedicabs. Tricycles and pedicabs are restricted to serving local

areas and provide a feeder service to the larger-scale public transport services. (p. 4) As a

population grows, transport service providers will find themselves hard pressed to

accommodate every person with an available vehicle. (Asian Development Bank, 2012)
Transportation in the Rural Areas 13

On the matter of poverty, Shoup and Homa (2010) believe that the economy of

many rural communities is generally poor as a result of governments bypassing their towns,

driving them into isolation. They also believe that while highways can indeed provide much

needed benefits to the rural community they can also hinder their economic progress if they

are used to bypass them completely as they state; Highways often prove to be the lifeline of

rural communities. But just as often, bypass roads prove the undoing of historic town centers,

shifting the economic activity away from them while promoting a form of spread-out

development that exacerbates the dependence on long car trips. (p. 9)

Other results and causes of poverty include inefficient industry, unemployment and

lack of access to essential facilities and amenities. According to Starkey and Hine (2014),

majority of the rural community make their living off of agriculture such as farming,

fisheries, forestry etc. But the lack of well-developed roads makes it difficult for that sector

hinders its productivity leaving potential future investors uninterested in its improvement due

to its poor performance. (pp. 15) In addition, they believe that unemployment in rural

communities shows a clear link to the quality of roads connected to them as they state:

Analyses from China showed that the greatest returns to investments came from the

construction of basic (low-volume) rural roads. The investment in such roads had a greater

influence on poverty reduction and national GDP than investments in better-quality, higher-

volume roads. (p. 4) Moreover, the development of rural roads positively affects how well

staffed health centers are. As they state that with adequate access, medical personnel and

their supplies will be available at their facilities which in turn lead to a much healthier

populace. Additionally, the improved rural infrastructure also ensured that schools are
Transportation in the Rural Areas 14

benefited from a significant increase in enrolment as well as the ease of hiring and retaining

teachers. (pp. 16-17)

ADB (2012) describes that the Philippine Development Plan of 2011-2016 sets five

different objectives for infrastructure development including the transport sector which is to

optimize resources and investments, attract investments, foster transparency and

accountability in infrastructure development, adapting to climate change and reduce damage

from ntural disasters, and lastly, is to provide employment opportunities. Additionally, ADB

(2012) enumerated also the four strategies that PDP set out including the four elements like

developing an integrated and coordinated network transport, rationalizing the functions of

transport agencies, ensuring transport safety and finally, to promote the development of

impoverished and conflict in affected areas.

As addressed by Donnges (2001) that if the aim to improve rural transport then it is

necessary to determine first the real transport needs of the rural people which means working

out with these people to identify the transport necessities, interventions, priorities, and design

the appropriate projects that will improve the mobility and lessen the demand of transport.

Clearly, usual transport planning needs to be based on the understanding of the potential of

an area, its people, and their problems and their needs. (Donnges, n.d., p. 22)

ONeil (2011) mentioned that the solution in the rural problem lies in making rural

development more attractive, understanding the possible designs limitation and durability.

The design and construction techniques required must be simple, low maintenance regimes

needed as well as the usage of local materials.

Donnges (2001) stated also that the International Labour Organization (ILO) has

developed the Integrated Rural Accessibility Planning (IRAP) which is used to strengthen the
Transportation in the Rural Areas 15

capacity of local government to for improved rural access planning. It is a set of local rural

infrastructure planning tools for the community and government use. The IRAP is used by

the local government to identify the real access needs of the rural community. It can be the

improvement of mobility like the roads, bridges and tracks or improve the accessibility of

facilities and services like schools, water supplies and health centers. In general, Donnges

(2001) described that poor rural areas in developing countries have important needs when it

comes to transportation. Therefore, mobility and infrastructures need to be improved to gain

reliable transport. But it also needs to go hand-in-hand with the cheap transport services so

that the rural poor can gain access to reliable method of transportation.

As stated by Mulley and Nelson (2009), one of the recognized hopeful ideas that

can integrate extensive public transportation in rural areas is a flexible and demand-

responsive transport system. According to European Commission Directorate-General for

Energy and Transport (2005), a flexible transport service is "an advanced, user-oriented form

of public transport characterized by flexible routing and scheduling of small/medium

vehicles operating in shared-ride mode between pick-up and drop-off locations according to

passengers needs". Li and Quadrifoglio (2010) cite that a large number of flexible transport

services have been approved and have been implemented over the 20 years, and these

services include para transit services, dial-a-ride services, ring-and-ride services, shared

taxicabs, lift shares, car-clubs, shuttle vans, dial-up buses. On the other hand, Mulley (2010)

believes that flexible transportation service are offered to a great extent as stand-alone

services often to provide to a particular number of individuals collectively of the population

or to set a particular necessity. Additionally, the currently available services have not been

gone through integration and further development, thus, may not propose an inclusive
Transportation in the Rural Areas 16

network solution that could solve the unusual problems on public transport in the rural areas.

Mulley (2010) analyzed the widespread initiation of the institutional, regulatory, and

financial barriers and stated that more recent attention has focused on to the range to which

collective or shared taxi services and the like could be used to qualify and satisfy the rural

accessibility needs.

Daniels et al. (2011) advocate that there are still existing different accessibility

gaps since they are widely accepted, and those include the deficiency of service (spatial gap),

unavailability of accessible vehicles (physical gap), insufficient service in which it is need

and/or the travel time takes too long (time gap), passengers do not attain appropriate and

necessary information (information gap), high-priced services (economic gap), and

cultural/attitudinal issues regarding public transport (cultural/attitudinal gap).

Evidence suggests that a well-designed flexible transport system can integrate different

modes of transport to provide more user-centric, comfortable, and cost effective transport

options by offering desired flexibility in choosing route, time, mode of transport, service

provider, payment system, etc. Therefore, the main objective is to examine to what extent

flexible and demand-responsive transport could be used to enhance public transport provision

in rural areas and identify various challenges in implementing and enhancing flexible

transport service in rural and remote areas (Nelson and Phonphitakchai, 2011).

According to Shergold and Parkhurst (2010), the insufficiency of effective

implementation in terms of employment, finance, governance, and carbon efficiency still

remained in the current situation, thus, the traditional fixed-route public transport in rural

areas would not be expected to be developed and if ever developed, there is a chance that it

could not provide a greater contribution than at present. Recent studies suggest that one set
Transportation in the Rural Areas 17

of solutions for rural transport problems could be demand-led approaches such as demand-

responsive flexible transport services, more formalized lift-giving, and community transport

schemes (Mulley 2010). However, implementation of these demand-led approaches in

rural areas has associated problems or limitations such as with technology, integration, and

cost (Shergold and Parkhurst 2010).

Takeuchi et al. (2003) discuss in their feasibility evaluation that flexible transport service

system could be and would be helpful if implemented to rural areas and other remote areas

where the improvement of mobility of special users (older adults, person-with-disabilities,

etc.) are the objectives, since the convenience is higher rather than fixed-route transport

system and other public transportation system, and specific users in those areas are minimal

because of low population density.

According to Victoria Transport Policy Institute (2017), one of the largest

classifications of expense of transport is the travel time and the most anticipated advantage of

transport improvement projects are time savings. Traveler comfort and traveler reliability are

factors that can be measured allocating travel time values. Reehorst (2008) states that, a

poor transportation network or travel infrastructure makes it more difficult to travel from A

to B. The traveler has to find a different way to get to point B, which is in most cases more

expensive. Also, the time it takes to travel is longer when there is an absence of a good

network. For many trips, supplementary value is created when the reliability of travel time

is being integrated. The overall changeableness of the system makes travelers and freight

operators to decide to just adjust their departure times, maybe earlier, since they are

expecting that their trips might take longer than usual. The more that they are sure about the

extra time they need to allot for the possible delay, the more they could correctly schedule
Transportation in the Rural Areas 18

their trip, thus, saving the rest of the time. Travel time savings tend to be reinvested into

additional travel. Website article http://bca.transportationeconomics.org/benefits/ (n.d) As a

result, over the long run the benefits of congestion reductions or faster travel consist

primarily of increased mobility rather than time savings. (Marchetti 1994)

Abrantes and Wardman (2011) believe that alternative modes in transportation can

also grant special time savings by mitigating the necessity for special trips for chauffeuring,

exercise and vehicle maintenance. In automobile-dependent locations, there are instances that

there are also automotive-depended situations like parents often chauffeur children to school

and sport events, and drive non-driving relatives and friends to shopping and medical

appointments, trips avoiding public transportation because of added security, safety and

privacy. Relatively most public transit or transport system offer the traveler the opportunity

to walk so most transit travelers able to accomplish daily physical activity targets, and save

the time which is supposedly time for gym. When people switch from driving to alternative

modes, it results to the increase in efficiency since they are accessing more convenient

destinations.

For example, automobile travelers tend to shop at automobile-dependent suburban

locations, but people who rely on walking, cycling and public transit users tend to shop more

at neighborhood stores and downtown business districts, which over the long run helps create

more accessible communities with more local services. As a result, the total amount of time

people devote to travel is no greater in multi-modal communities than in automobile-oriented

communities (Abrantes & Wardman, 2011)

Litman (2009) claims that in practice, improved reliability and reduced schedule

delay advantages are in a few times counted as advantages for travel time for several reasons.
Transportation in the Rural Areas 19

First, acquiring appropriate behavioral data with which to approximately calculate these

changes needs special effort and may not be value the trouble. Also, the reason must exist

that the harmful effects associated of these time elements is equal to time consumed in

traveling. This is often a difficult sell since in many situations there exist useful ways for

people to spend the extra time from early arrival, so the consumed time in travelling is not

really lost. However, in some cases, benefits from integrated reliability and reduced schedule

delay may be significant and should be accounted for, maybe with a factor of weighting to

represent these probable differences in disutility.

Public transportation is a crucial part of the solution to the nations economic, energy, and

environmental challenges - helping to bring a better quality of life. In increasing numbers,

people are using public transportation and local communities are expanding public transit

services. Every segment of society - individuals, families, communities, and businesses -

benefits from public transportation (APTA, 2017)

According to Public Transportation Fact Book (2008), public transportation

provides economic opportunities & drives community growth and revitalization. Public

transportation offers individuals access to jobs. Most percent of public transit trips impact the

economy.

As explained by a resource person, he mentioned that the rural public

transportation of the Philippines can be considered as underdeveloped due to the lack of good

infrastructures like bridges, roads, and highways which serves as the main ways of travelling

between areas. The rural roads can be described as dirty, dusty and uneven which does not

allow some modes of transportation like buses, cars and jeepneys to pass through since it will
Transportation in the Rural Areas 20

hamper the condition of the said vehicles. That is why the mode of transportation found in

the rural areas especially in remote areas is the habal-habal, which is a motorcycle that can

traverse through rough terrain easily. However, the habal-habal has an obvious disadvantage

like the limited capacity it can hold and the safety concerns present with regard to the

vehicle. In order to improve the mode of transportation as mentioned by the expert, it is very

important to focus first on adding important infrastructures like the roads and bridges as

mentioned, and then improving the subpar infrastructures which will result to the increase of

vehicles moving in and out of the province, invite possible business investors with the

increase of accessibility within the place, and allow more access to public amenities and

services like hospitals, schools, and job districts which will ultimately result to the economic

growth not only of the rural area, but also the whole Philippines. (Asuncion, Personal

Communication, Mapua University, June 8, 2017)

 Transportation in the Rural Areas 21

SUMMARY

The research aimed to determine how to introduce an affordable, reliable and

effective rural public transportation service in the areas of the Philippines in order to identify the

economic impact that a good transport system brings in the whole country

Specifically, the study sought to answer the following questions:

1) What is the current state of the Philippines Rural Public Transportation

2) What are the difficulties encountered in improving the rural transportation system here in the

Philippines?

3) What are the different steps that the government has done in improving the rural

transportation system?

4) What other possible improvements can be done to enhance the effectivity and efficiency of

rural transport here in the Philippines?

5) How does an effective and efficient rural transport system bring economic growth and

different advantages to the rural areas?

The respondents of the research consisted only of an expert in the field of economics,

and social sciences. The interview is the main basis of determining how to improve the rural

transportation system of the Philippines and identifying its economic impact to the country.
 Transportation in the Rural Areas 22

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

From the analysis of the interview and different research materials, the findings were as

follows:

1) The current state of the rural public transportation in the Philippines can be said as

underdeveloped. There are lack of important roads and bridges in the rural areas as well as the

presence of broken, dusty and uneven roads. It hinders the possible mode of transportation being

introduced in the areas like the buses, cars, jeepneys and trucks.

2) There are difficulties encountered in improving the rural transport system like the lack of

budget needed to construct roads, highways and bridges, the corruption found in the government

that lessens the budget that is intended to complete the projects in the rural areas, the isolation of

the far away rural communities due to distance, and the lack of understanding and planning of

government to determine the potential solutions in the rural transportation problem.

3) To improve the rural transportation system, the government has performed different methods

which resulted in the increase of efficiency and effectivity of the rural transport. These consist of

different infrastructural projects like roads, highways, tolled expressways (NLEX, SLEX, etc.),

which attracted different business investors and increased the inflow and outflow of vehicles in

the rural areas which can be considered as an improvement of economic growth as well.

4) Other than the implementation of different infrastructural projects like the bridges and roads,

the other possible solutions to make rural transportation better is to have a good planning and

budgeting process in different projects, determine the different struggles of transportation that

needs priority to be fixed, and finally is to dissolve the corruption that might be present in the

government which diverts the budget intended for the infrastructural projects.
 Transportation in the Rural Areas 23

5) The improvement of the efficiency and effectivity of the rural public transport system brings a

multitude of possibilities for the economic development and social development for the rural

community. For example, the cost of transportation will be reduced with the same level of time

efficiency, giving specialization to labor and mobility of goods, promotion of tourism and the

expansion of the market. Also, social benefits like having better job opportunities, educational

expansion, social and cultural sprint, higher standards of living, and having closer relationship

between cities and provinces, All of these will ultimately result to the economic and social

growth of the rural areas.

RECOMMENDATIONS

From the findings and conclusions of the research, the following recommendations are hereby

given:

- Interview more experts with an expertise in transportation and planning in order to gather

more ideas and information on how to provide an effective and efficient transportation

system in the rural areas.

- Consolidate all the findings and determine the best steps that the government can do in

improving the rural transportation system in the Philippines so that it can possibly be

implemented.

- Apply the possible methods gathered from the research as to make the ideas useful and

significant for the progress not only for the rural areas, but also for the whole country as

well.
 Transportation in the Rural Areas 24

References

Asian Development Bank. (2011). Philippines Transport Assesment, Strategy, and Road Map.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) (2012). Phlippines Transport Assesment, Strategy and Road
Map.

Asuncion. (2017) Personal Interview at Mapua University. (Professor of Economics, Taxation

and Social Sciences.)

Donnges. (2001). Rural Transport and Local Government Units: How to improve the rural
transport for the rural poor?

Institute for Development and Econometric Analysis (IDEA) et. al. (2016). The Philippine
Multimodal Transportation and Logistics Industry Roadmap.

Mattson, J. (2007). Rural Transit Fact Book.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online. (n.d.). Transportation.

O'Neill. (2011.). The World Bank Blog.

Official Gazette of the Philippines. (2016). Gov't Addresses Transportation and Logistics Issues.

Philippines National Implementation Plan (NIP). (n.d.). Philippines National Implementation

Plan (NIP) on Environment Improvement on Transport Sector Low-Pollution Emision.

Shoup, & Homa. (2010). Principles for improvng transportation options in Rural and Small
Town Communities.

Starkey, & Hine. (2014). Poverty and Sustainable Transport: How transport affects poor people
with policy implications for Poverty Reduction.

Velaga et.al. (2003). Potential Role of Flexible Transport Services in Enhancing Rural Public
Transport Provision.

Victoria Transport Policy Institute (2017). Independent research organization dedicated to

developing innovative and practical solutions to transportation problems.

American Public Transportation Association (2017) Transportation Benefits

Reehorst (2008). International Tourism Context, Master in Tourism Destination Management

http://bca.transportationeconomics.org/benefits/travel-time

Pedro A.L. Abrantes and Mark R. Wardman (2011), Meta-Analysis Of UK Values Of Travel
Time: An Update, Transportation Research Part A, Vol. 45, pp. 117.
 Transportation in the Rural Areas 25

Public Transportation Fact Book (2008), 59th Edition, Published by American Public
Transportation Association

Mulley, C., and J. D. Nelson. (2009). Flexible transport services: A new market opportunity for
public transport. Research in Transportation Economics 25: 3945

Daniels, R., C. Mulley, R. Teal, J. Nelson, and S. Wright. (2011). Barriers to implementing
flexible transport services: An international comparison of the experiences in Australia, Europe
and North America. Submitted to Research in Transport and Business Management.

Todd Litman (2009), "Travel Time," Transportation Cost and Benefit Analysis, Victoria
Transport Policy Institute

Todd Litman (2008), Valuing Transit Service Quality Improvements, Journal of Public
Transportation, Vol. 11, No. 2, Spring, pp. 43-64.
 Transportation in the Rural Areas 26

Appendix I

Researchers Profile

Blancaflor, John Michael Cardeo, Bryan Kenneth P.

AR-2 ChE-2

09361616037 0916-625-7446

Quintero, Gabriel Patrick D.

ME-1

0919-225-4399
 Transportation in the Rural Areas 27

Appendix II

Outline

Thesis Statement: The introduction of an affordable, reliable and effective public transport
service is vital to the convenience of the public commuters and improvement of the economy in
the rural areas of the Philippines.

1.The current state of Philippines Rural Public Transportation

1.1 There are previous projects run by the government which acted as a fix that improves the
transportation system in rural areas.

1.2 Many transport problems still persist in rural communities that hinder the progress
economically.

2. Difficulties encountered in improving the rural transport system

2.1 Logistics and materials needed to improve the system will be challenging to change due to
budget cost and limited access.

2.2 Increased population in the rural areas will add a burden in the availability of the vehicles.

2.3 Poverty and corruption in the government officials will divert the budget needed in
improving the system of transport

2.4 The lack of good infrastructures like bridges and highways will hinder the numerous
vehicles and will force them to use the difficult route.

3. Possible improvements that can be implemented to rural transport system considering the
difficulties

3.1 By using the ideas, projects, and materials from urban areas to integrate them into the
system of transport in the rural areas to match the effectivity of urban transport.

3.2 Using the government funds in providing a service that is accessible and specific only to
the rural community.

3.3 Utilizing the pre-existing materials will further improve the system without compromising
much budget.

3.4 Improving the infrastructure especially the bridges, highways and terminals will smoothen
the flow of vehicles and reduce the time required for travel.

4. Advantages that can be obtained from an improved rural transport service.

 Transportation in the Rural Areas 28

4.1 The improved transport offers better efficiency to those commuters who needs fast travel
time.

4.2 There is an increase in accessibility to different amenities and facilities like schools,
markets, and hospitals.

4.3 The accessibility offered by transportation opens doors to job opportunities and workforce
in the community.

4.4 An economic growth is expected due to the increase of effectivity and efficiency in jobs
and import/export of goods.

5. Conclusion

In conclusion, an operational public transport system that specifically caters to citizens in rural
communities provides many significant improvements to their quality of life and convenience.
The resources are there but still, more studies and improvements are definitely needed to be
better distributed to ensure that the implementation is made possible.
 Transportation in the Rural Areas 29

Appendix III

Interview Transcript

Before the Interview: Appointment Transcript

31 May 2017

Dear Sir Asuncion,

Good day sir, we are Mapan students enrolled in ENG11 which is a research class. We

got your name from a friend of one of our groupmates who told us you are an expert in

economics and have sufficient knowledge in transportation which is the main topic we are

researching. If possible, we would like to conduct an interview on your earliest convenience.

Thank you for your consideration!

Very truly yours,

Blancaflor, John Michael

Cardeo, Bryan

Quintero, Gabriel

Received by

Noted

Prof. Aida M. Alfaro

 Transportation in the Rural Areas 30

During the Interview

Gabriel:

Good day, Mr. Asuncion. Today we are here for the interview with regard to our research about
the improvement of public transport in the rural areas of the Philippines, which can have a
significant impact in the economy as well.

We prepared the questions which might help us gain more ideas about our research with your
assistance. We hope that you will be able to answer these questions based on the thoughts that
you have in mind as well as your insights and observations with regard to each of the following:

How would you assess the current rural public transportation system in rural Philippines?

Mr. Asuncion:

Public Transportation in rural areas in the Philippines is underdeveloped. It had minimal progress for so
many years. And in fact, there are places in the Philippines where there is no transportation, that people
would tend to walk, ride carts, and they make use of the habal-habal which is a motorcycle, a single
motorcycle as a mode of transportation. And it is clearly a sign of underdeveloped or unprogressive
transport system.

Bryan:

How does an effective public transportation system affect the economy of the rural Philippines?

Mr. Asuncion:

In a country where there is enough transportation system, this could impede the economic growth of the
country. Now why? example: products that are being processed by the people on rural areas, on that,
those products would not be brought to the city where they could sell the earn. And not only that, mostly,
products that are needed by the rural areas or provinces could not be brought to then, why? Because
there is no public transportation system that will bring the said products to them.

John Michael:

What are the different factors that hinder the economic progress of the country based on the
public transport system that we have today?

Mr. Asuncion:

Those things that hinder, again as what I have said, even though people have been able to
produce a lot, example, agricultural products, they will not be able to bring them to the market.
Now when we say market, most likely it is in the city. Now what will happen is, those products
will just remain to them. At the end, this would more or less make the people or change the
people of rural areas to lazy one, why? Because their products were not brought and sold into
the market, thus, they would not have income.
 Transportation in the Rural Areas 31

Gabriel:

Does the improvement of public transportation indicative of the economic progress in the rural
areas?

Mr. Asuncion:

A good transportation system is an indication of progress and at the same time, it thrives more
progress or it contributes more progress to the country or state. As what I have said again, when
it comes to production, even though these people would be able to produce a lot, as what i have
said, the products would not be able to be brought to the market, then it will be a waste of
production.

Bryan:

How economically viable is it to integrate the urban transportation system into the rural areas in
order to improve the efficiency of transportation in the rural community?

Mr. Asuncion:

It is economically viable of the government will boost up the implementation and provisions
regarding the different solutions to certain problems in rural areas. The construction of
infrastructures is also critical since transportation needs such infrastructure to be maintained
and mainly used.

John Michael:

How can you associate poverty and corruption with the development of the public transport
system especially in the rural areas?

Mr. Asuncion

Poverty and corruption? Now again as what I have said, poverty will always be there when there
is no enough public transportation system to be established in the rural areas. And then how
does corruption come? As an example, if there would only be the provision of public
transportation system, if there are enough roads. No roads mean no public transportation
system, unless it would be train or any modes used in seas or air. And the provision of graft and
corruption would enter, as an example, instead of putting up roads and bridges, government
officials would rather pocket the money. Or when there is supposedly to finish a road system
going to certain areas that will help to solve the problems in the rural areas regarding the
transportation, they would not be able to finish those because if the project cost 100 million, half
of it will be pocketed by the government officials, now, only just a half of the fund will be used to
construct those bridges and roads and to utilize the project. That results to substandard roads
and bridges that could be easily destroyed through time, and could also risk the life of the
citizens.
 Transportation in the Rural Areas 32

Gabriel:

What are the effective steps that the government has done previously that helped improve the
transportation system in the country?

Mr. Asuncion:

One step that the government has done is to establish roads and bridges that leads to the rural
areas. I believe that this program by the government was an idea to solve the problem in
transportation in the rural areas. Another is, the law when it comes to requirement of
importation of buses and trucks, that have been loosen or lacked by the government. Not only
those who are new or old, bus and trucks that came from the other countries. But sometimes it
was being abused by importers, not only second hand are imported but also third hand
automotive which means those are not able to guarantee the safety and efficiency anymore. It
could last for years but it would not last long for sure.

Bryan:

What are your insights, ideas, and recommendations for the improvement of the flaws
encountered in the public transport system of the country which are still prevalent in these times?

Mr. Asuncion:

Again, the government needs to prioritize the implementation of roads and bridges, because I
believe that there will be individuals who would like to go into business, particularly, in the rural
areas in terms of vehicles or automotive supply, unless, that the government would provide such
roads and bridges, I think transportation will grow more by the help also of individuals.

After the Interview

John Michael:

Thank you very much for the time and ideas you shared to us today, Sir Asuncion. We will make
it sure that the ideas you shared to us will be used as a part of our research with your permission.
But before we say goodbye and part ways, can we have a picture together as a part of our
remembrance?

Mr. Asuncion:

Yes for sure, no problem.

 Transportation in the Rural Areas 33

Gabriel:

Again, we would like to express our gratitude for this opportunity that you gave to us.
Everything that we learned today is valuable both in experience and knowledge.

Bryan:

Thank you and goodbye sir. Until we meet again next time.

John Michael:

Have a good day sir.