Senate probe set on provincial bus ban traffic

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate committee on public services will conduct an inquiry tomorrow into the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA)’s plan to ban provincial buses from areas along EDSA.

Sen. Grace Poe, chairperson of the committee, earlier blasted the MMDA and officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) over the worsening traffic crisis in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.

The panel will tackle Senate Resolution 954 seeking an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the proposed provincial bus ban along EDSA, which the MMDA says could ease traffic congestion along Metro Manila’s busiest thoroughfare.

“We will demand explanations and we will make sure those responsible for the recent traffic gridlock will be held accountable,” Poe said last week.

She said the agencies were trying to solve traffic woes as if doing a “science project full of experiments” at the expense of commuters and motorists.

MMDA officials however maintained the agency was merely enforcing the “yellow lane” rule along EDSA while the provincial bus ban was stopped by a Quezon City court.

“We are being bashed because we could not discipline the bus drivers, and now that we are doing that, they’re complaining again. Where will we put ourselves in this dilemma?” MMDA traffic chief Edison Nebrija said last week.

“The yellow lane is a way to put order on EDSA because if not, every day would be like this. Is this what we really want?” he said.

Nebrija said city buses should be contained in the yellow lanes to prevent them from taking over EDSA. He said bus drivers will just race each other and pick passengers along the way.

Meanwhile, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian has refiled a bill seeking to implement a “no parking space, no car policy” in Metro Manila.

Gatchalian said Senate Bill 368, otherwise known as the proposed Proof-Of-Parking Space Act, would require prospective buyers of motor vehicles to present a notarized affidavit showing that they have a permanent parking space or facility for their vehicles before they could purchase one.

The affidavit shall also be a prerequisite for the registration of their vehicles. Each and every motor vehicle shall require a separate parking space for parking.

He said the Land Transportation Office shall file the affidavit for future reference and use it as evidence against motor vehicle owners who lied about having a parking space or facility for their vehicles.

“Motor vehicle owners should be made responsible to provide a permanent parking space for their private vehicles. The street is primarily intended for vehicular or foot traffic and should not be appropriated as personal parking spaces for vehicles,” Gatchalian said.

Under the proposed measure, any individual may report to the LTO, MMDA or the engineering office of the concerned local government unit any motor vehicle that is illegally parked on streets, alleys or pathways primarily used by pedestrians and for motor vehicle traffic.