The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said it “cannot accept” the National Capital Region’s (NCR) rank as having the world’s worst traffic in an international study.

The 2023 TomTom Traffic Index recently labeled Metro Manila with the slowest traffic out of the 387 metro areas in the world.

In a radio interview, MMDA Manager Undersecretary Procopio Lipana said traffic in Metro Manila only becomes heavy during rush hour.

“We cannot accept that because we know that we aren’t the only ones with that kind of traffic situation, particularly in the whole of Asia. We don’t understand why, with the number of roads we have, they still say that Metro Manila has the worst traffic,” Lipana said.

“We know that the traffic in Metro Manila becomes heavier particularly during rush hour because we know that our road network is really not sufficient for the volume of vehicles,” he added.

Last Friday, MMDA Chairman Romando Artes asked to know the methodology of the TomTom Traffic Index for gathering data.

“We want to know the methodology involved. If there is an actual count and when did they conduct the study,” Artes told reporters.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista in a statement vowed to find lasting solutions to the traffic.

“The top ranking of Metro Manila in world traffic poses a challenge not just for DOTr but other agencies as well to be creative at finding lasting solutions to metro traffic,” Bautista said. Jaspearl Tan/DMS