The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said it is open to all suggestions to solve Metro Manila’s traffic woes and has expressed delight in receiving an increasing number of suggestions from both the government and private sectors.
MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago said their office welcomes such suggestions, in response to Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice’s proposal to ban private vehicles from traversing Edsa during rush hours.
“Kami din po ay nabibigla pero kami ay natutuwa dahil parami ng parami ang mga suhestiyon na natatanggap natin para masulosyunan ang pabigat nang pabigat na trapiko sa Edsa (We are also surprised but happy because of the increasing number of suggestions that we are receiving to solve the worsening traffic condition in Edsa),” Pialago said.
However, the MMDA official clarified that enacting such policies require studies first before they are proposed to the Metro Manila Council (MMC) for policy-making later.
“All suggestions must go through the process, these will be studied by our engineering department.”
“Ngunit lahat po ng suggestion ay dadaan sa proseso, pag-aaralan po ito ng ating engineering department saka po natin titingnan kung ano ang maari nating mai-propose sa MMC (But all suggestions must go through the process, these will be studied by our engineering department then we’ll decide which ones to propose to the MMC),” she said.
“All traffic policies in the metropolis must be approved by the MMC.”
Pialago added that all traffic policies in the metropolis must be approved by the MMC, which consists of the 17 mayors in Metro Manila.
When asked which suggestions have reached the MMC, the spokesperson said their engineering department has yet to make a final assessment to determine which of these will reach the MMC for approval.
In a radio interview, Erice said until the completion of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3’s (MRT-3) rehabilitation, Metro Manila subway, and the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) – South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) connector road, public transportation must be favored over private vehicles in Edsa.
“Mula alas-6 hanggang alas-9 ng umaga, at mula alas-6 ng gabi hanggang alas-9, ipagbawal na ang mga private vehicles sa Edsa (from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., let’s ban private vehicles in Edsa),” the veteran legislator said.
On August 28, engineering firm Guevara & Partners Incorporated, through its president, Fernando Guevara, presented a one-way traffic scheme for Edsa, which is said to increase the average speed of traffic on the major artery from less than 20 km/h to about 42 km/h.
A few days later, former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) consultant Ariston Gorospe submitted a “vehicular brand reduction program” proposal to the MMDA, which seeks to ban card in Edsa based on their brands on certain days.