The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Major transport groups, including the Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines (PBOAP), oppose the proposal by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to allow large private vehicles used for carpooling services to enter the exclusive EDSA busway.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) thanked PBOAP executive director and spokesperson Alex Yague, Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines president Melencio “Boy” Vargas and Pasang-Masda national president Roberto “Ka Obet” Martin for agreeing with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) against making the EDSA busway lane open to private vehicles.
LTFRB chief Vigor Mendoza II thanked the transport groups for coursing their expression of support to the agency, which was in reaction to MMDA General Manager Nicolas Torre III’s statement they are studying to allow big private cars to use EDSA for carpooling
PBOAP executive director and spokesman Alex Yague said the objective of the EDSA Carousel program would be defeated if more private cars would be allowed to use it.
Vargas feared the MMDA proposal would only lead EDSA back to the old days of horrendous traffic at the expense of the ordinary workers. Martin reminded the proponents of carpooling that the EDSA Busway is just one lane.
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez expressly rejected the idea of turning the EDSA Busway into a carpooling route.
“DOTr is opposed to the proposal to allow carpooling on the EDSA Busway. The busway was designed primarily to move more people, not more cars, by providing fast and uninterrupted service to buses carrying up to 300,000 passengers daily,” Lopez said in a statement.
“We appreciate the efforts of MMDA General Manager Nicolas Torre III to look for solutions to traffic congestion in the Metro, but the President’s directives are clear: government transport policy must be commuter-focused and pro–mass transit, not car-centric,” Lopez added.
The DOTr chief added they are “always open for a dialogue with GM Torre, other agencies and civil society organizations to create more innovative, well-thought-of and holistic solutions to traffic problems.”