MMDA fine-tunes HPG 'takeover' of traffic management

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Wednesday said it has began preparations for the “takeover” of the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (HPG) of its traffic management duties on EDSA starting Monday.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino on Wednesday met with Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras to fine-tune the operational details of the order of President Benigno Aquino III for the HPG to take lead on EDSA’s traffic management.

In a statement, Tolentino said the purpose of his meeting with Almendras was to finalize the implementing guidelines on takeover.

With traffic management duties on EDSA to be performed by the HPG, the MMDA, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will only play support roles.

According to Tolentino, the MMDA will be training PNP-HPG personnel on the basics of traffic management. This will only include the fundamentals of traffic management but will also cover traffic direction, control and supervision; traffic law enforcement; basics of road safety; traffic accident investigation; road incident management; traffic engineering and administrative rules and regulations.

On Tuesday, President Aquino ordered the PNP-HPG to take the lead in traffic law enforcement along EDSA’s 23.8-kilometer stretch away from the MMDA. He also ordered the HPG to prioritize the clearing of six identified choke points along EDSA: Balintawak, Cubao, Ortigas, Shaw Boulevard, Guadalupe and Taft Avenue.

Tolentino earlier said the MMDA is ready to support the HPG in enforcing traffic laws and managing traffic on EDSA.

According to Tolentino, the MMDA would be ready to assist the HPG should there be vehicular accidents along EDSA or if stalled vehicles need to be towed away. He also welcomed President Aquino’s order of allowing the HPG to take the lead on EDSA’s traffic management.

“Para po magkaroon ng enforcement kailangan may baril na minsan para mas mahigpit na. Tutulong pa rin ho tayo pag may aksidente, pag merong stalled vehicles tayo naman andun,” he said.

Tolentino meanwhile defended the MMDA saying the agency alone should not be blamed for the crippling traffic along EDSA as the problem of traffic needs a collective action.

“Tulong-tulong kasi alam niyo yung problema sa trapik na sinasabinig lumalala eh dati naman na yan eh hindi lang naman isang ahensiya lamang ang dapat nating sisihin. Tayo lagi ang nasisisi… Ito po yung tama hindi lang isa dapat ang mangasiwa,” he said.

Tolentino said an ever-increasing number of vehicles on the streets of Metro Manila has also contributed much to the bad traffic situation.