Highway Patrol Group to lead EDSA traffic management

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has designated the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (HPG) as the lead agency to implement traffic rules in Metro Manila and clear the six identified “choke points” along EDSA.

“The President approved the deployment of the Highway Patrol Group to serve as the lead traffic law enforcement agency on EDSA,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. announced yesterday.

Coloma said the HPG would be supported by personnel from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to help in easing the traffic situation.

About 96 HPG personnel for every shift will be deployed initially in major intersections along EDSA, according to PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez.

Marquez tasked HPG director Chief Supt. Arnold Gunnacao to deploy the 96 traffic policemen to Balintawak, Cubao, Ortigas, Shaw Blvd., Guadalupe and Pasay-Taft along the stretch of EDSA.

He said the deployment would start on Monday. “The PNP through the HPG will start coordinating on Wednesday with other agencies involved in traffic management,” he said.

Marquez said around 500 MMDA traffic enforcers would assist the HPG.

“That is the clear direction, implementing an effective traffic law enforcement. The primary consideration here is to clear the choke points,” Coloma stressed.

Coloma, however, did not rule out reimposing the odd-even scheme while government studies the traffic problem. – Helen Flores, Mike Frialde, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Mayen Jaymalin