MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said the dry run of the ban on provincial buses along EDSA would push through on Wednesday despite a court order halting the implementation of the controversial policy.
Celine Pialago, MMDA spokesperson, said the scheduled dry run would proceed as the agency has not yet received a copy of the court order that would stop the implementation of the ban, The STAR reported.
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During the dry run, buses from outside Metro Manila will be banned from traversing EDSA from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. No actual closure of the existing provincial terminals along the main thoroughfare will happen.
In a 25-page decision dated July 31, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 223 issued a writ of preliminary injunction stopping the implementation of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Memorandum Circular 2019-001 and MMDA Regulation 19-002.
The ruling effectively stopped the MMDA and the LTFRB from implementing the bus ban, which has drawn criticisms from commuters, especially those from outside Metro Manila.
Various groups questioned the legality of the provincial bus ban before the Supreme Court, arguing the Metro Manila Council approved the proposal of the MMDA without public consultations or hearings.
They also pointed out that the policy will affect mostly poor people from the provinces. — Gaea Katreena Cabico with a report from The STAR/Mark Jayson Cayabyab