Following the criticism the Metro Manila Development Authority received on banning single-passenger cars on Edsa during rush hours, the Palace appealed Thursday to the public to give the policy “a chance.”
Asked about the Palace’s position on the matter, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said “the President does not really micromanage. He lets the members of the Cabinet implement their programs, and as long as those are not illegal, he approves them.”
In other developments:
• More than 6,000 drivers were caught and warned during the first two days of the dry run for the implementation of the Expanded High Occupancy Vehicle traffic scheme along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue from 7 am to 10 am and 6 pm to 9 pm Monday to Friday.
On Thursday, the MMDA recorded at least 2,715 motorists while a total of 3,353 were caught on Wednesday violating the new traffic policy aimed at reducing the volume of private vehicles which, according to the agency, remains a major cause of the worsening traffic problem along the 23.8-kiometer highway.
• A pro-administration lawmaker on Thursday said the MMDA should first consider synchronizing the flow of buses plying Metro Manila’s most important highway instead of banning “singles” on Edsa.
“More than the volume of private vehicles, discipline remains the biggest cause of Metro Manila’s carmageddon and buses are the biggest culprits,” Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento said as he thumbed down the driver-only car ban policy to be implemented by the MMDA.
Sarmiento, vice chairman of the House committee on transportation, said while Edsa traffic might ease with the “driver-only ban” on Edsa, other smaller Metro Manila streets would definitely absorb the volume of vehicles, which would only widen the area of the gridlock.
Roque said he believed the new MMDA policy had a good intention to reduce the volume of cars on Edsa, and that the new road scheme was based on the experiences of other countries such as the United States.
“In the United States, they already devoted hours. They have express lanes that require a minimum of two passengers. So that’s where the MMDA based their policy,” said Roque, stressing the importance of carpooling.
“When you carpool, there are fewer cars on the road. With the continuing increase in gasoline, it can lessen the expenses. So, let’s give it a chance. We are trying everything just to provide a solution to the country’s traffic problems.
“It really encourages carpooling. Individuals can talk about whether they could go to work at the same time, so they don’t have to use two cars separately. This scheme has been done in America and in other countries. We’re not the only ones who experimented on this. Let’s just see if it’s effective.”
Roque also denied that the policy discriminates against single individuals who cannot afford drivers.
“That is implemented in every part of the world, yet they do not complain of being discriminated. It’s just because of the police power to lessen the cars in the streets and reduce the expenses on gasoline and diesel,” he said. With Joel E. Zurbano and Maricel V. Cruz