Poe questions effectivity of single-passenger car ban on EDSA

FILE: Reliance portion of E. Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA, AH26) in Mandaluyong City. EDSA is a component of AH26, the country’s main national highway. (Photo by Patrickroque01 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) should explain further to the public, especially the motorists, its proposal to ban single-passenger vehicles on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) during rush hours, Senator Grace Poe said on Tuesday, August 14.

The public, according to Poe, should know what made the Metro Manila Council (MMC) think that the ban could really ease traffic congestion all throughout Metro Manila.

“What makes them so absolutely sure that their proposal will work? What was the result of the trial conducted in December last year?” the senator asked.

“Was it effective? Did it considerably reduce traffic?” she added.

The MMDA earlier announced that only high occupancy vehicles (HOV) or vehicles carrying two or more passengers would be allowed to traverse EDSA from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 6 p.m. and to 9 p.m. or during rush hour.

The agency decided to propose the policy after it found that 70 percent of vehicles travelling along EDSA only had one driver.

Poe said the MMDA should have considered this 70 percent of EDSA motorists who will be affected by the ban.

“They are probably the working solo parents, parents who have to drop their kids along their way to work, spouses who live in the same city but work in different cities, young professionals or workers who cannot afford to hire their own drivers and yet are required to be on time in their offices,” she stressed.

The senator added that the MMDA better make sure that the inner city, barangay roads, and the main thoroughfares around Metro Manila, apart from EDSA, could handle the affected motorists because if not, “we will just be replicating the horrors of EDSA traffic everywhere.”

Opposition Senator Leila de Lima earlier said the government cannot always try its ‘luck’ by conducting a trial-and-error in resolving the country’s unending traffic problem.

She added that the MMDA’s latest traffic scheme might give rise to “passengers-for-hire” or the “car jockeys,” who are willing to risk their own safety by hopping into a stranger’s car just to get paid.

Meanwhile, many Filipinos also took to Twitter their grievances and concerns about the ban.

Twitter user @HowardStevennn posted, “Natatawa ako sa single driver ban, single ka na nga ‘di ka pa pwedeng mag-isa (This single driver ban is funny. You are already single, yet you cannot be alone).”

Another user @AnrolHere said, “In line with the new regulation on EDSA traffic, I am now developing a dating app called ‘Hitch;’ open lang para sa mga single driver at (open only for single drivers and) actively looking for dates.”

“That single driver ban to prevent traffic is the most ridiculous thing ever. Ang tatamad magisip ng konkretong solusyon (They are very lazy to think of a concrete solution). Make public transportation better dahil yan lang ang solusyon (because that is the only solution)!” netizen @marieSG19 tweeted.

While some are criticizing the said proposal, others expressed support on the move.

“Single driver ban during rush hour is actually a good idea. ‘Yung mga nag-iinarte, umalis ng mas maaga/mas late or magcarpooling (Those who do not want it, leave your house early/late or just do carpooling),” Twitter user @JoeGabJoeGab.

Netizen @randomsalt posted, “Good move on driver-only cars, but bad move on provincial buses. How will the gaps between the old and new terminals be closed? (Also: private cars are largely responsible for EDSA traffic jams by their mere existence, kthx).”

Moreover, @iamwelldon tweeted, “I’m ok with single only car ban at Edsa if @MMDA wants it. I want space even for [a] few hours.”

There is no advice yet on when will the scheme be implemented but the MMDA will start its dry-run on Wednesday, August 15.