SEN. Robinhood Padilla yesterday insisted that his suggestion for the use of ropeways or aerial cable cars to help address traffic problems in Metro Manila and other urban areas in the country has sound basis.
Padilla’s earlier pronouncement earned criticisms and even derision from some quarters, which questioned the viability of such mode of transport in the metropolis.
He said the previous administration had given the thumbs-up for a cable car system that would connect Marikina and Pasig.
“Why did I raise that suggestion? It’s because it had been approved in the past administration,” Padilla said in a post on his Facebook account.
He added that the French government had even expressed willingness to support the project should it gain final approval.
Padilla pointed out that he raised the suggestion to use an aerial cable car system after Sen. JV Ejercito delivered a privilege speech on the need to strengthen the railway system in the country.
“I like what he said and I fully support Sen. JV’s point, and this was where I also raised the suggestion for the aerial cable cars in Metro Manila to help ease traffic congestion,” he said.
Padilla added that his friend, lawyer Rudolf Philip Jurado, had noted that the Department of Transportation had conducted a study of the project and endorsed it to the National Economic and Development Authority.
Jurado was the former chief of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel before he was sacked by President Duterte in 2018.
“Take note that the $100-million Marikina-Ortigas cable car project was approved by the Department of Transportation last year and was sent to NEDA for its approval. This cable car project will ease the traffic in the eastern side of Metro Manila per studies of the DOTR,” Jurado had said.
Under the DoTr proposal, a cable car system spanning 4.5 kilometers will link Marikina and Pasig, with stops in parts of Quezon City and Pasig areas.
