MANILA, Philippines — Smartphone applications are being explored by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) as another tool to manage traffic and influence travel behavior in Metro Manila.
The initiative is being pursued with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) through a competition that challenged innovators to develop digital solutions for traffic and travel demand management.
Eight teams reached the final round of the “MMITS Bagong Gawi, Bagong Galaw Challenge,” with LakbayPoints from Cagayan State University emerging as the winner.
The winning team received P100,000 from the MMDA and an exclusive development contract with JICA worth 5 million Japanese yen. Each member also received a Globe Telecom 5G Loop device.
Team Apaka’s Komyunek placed second and received P75,000, while Abotdun finished third with P50,000.
MMDA Chairman lawyer Don Artes said that traffic congestion requires solutions beyond traditional infrastructure.
“We all know the reality: traffic congestion costs us time, productivity, and quality of life,” Artes said in a message read by MMDA Deputy Chairman and MMITS Project Director Usec. Frisco San Juan Jr.
“For us in MMDA, solving this requires looking beyond traditional infrastructure. We must maximize data, technology, and intelligent transport systems to build a transport network that is safe, efficient, and genuinely responsive to the public,” he said.
The competition is part of the Project for Capacity Enhancement on Traffic Management with Improvement of Intelligent Transport Systems in Metro Manila (MMITS), a technical cooperation project between the MMDA and JICA.
