The Palace on Thursday called on EDSA commuters to be more patient, saying the Metro Manila Development Authority is “doing enough” to ease the heavy traffic in the major road.
The stricter yellow-lane policy of the MMDA has been blamed for the gridlock in EDSA, affecting many bus riders.
“We have to ask the commuters to be patient. I’m sure the MMDA is doing enough,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo told reporters.
Meanwhile, The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority still wants to push its controversial policy prohibiting provincial buses from entering Epifanio delos Santos Avenue.
The voluntary dry run activity for the scheme being observed by city buses will also continue, according to MMDA assistant secretary and spokesman Pircelyn Pialago.
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“We don’t need to scrap the voluntary dry run of the provincial bus ban because we were not given enough chance to prove the effectiveness of the policy in the first place,” she said.
The MMDA also said it will close to vehicular traffic the Sevilla Bridge in Mandaluyong on Saturday to give way to the ongoing construction of the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3.
The bridge will be closed at 10 p.m. as the project contractor will move two 180-tonner cranes to be used for the installation of the coping beams.
Panelo also said the rainy season had contributed to the heavy traffic in EDSA.
“I think the rainy season has contributed to the density of traffic. The MMDA is doing its level best to do something about it,” he said.
The agency came under fire after it instructed city and provincial buses to stay only on the yellow lane, causing buses to occupy several lanes and blocking several lanes for motorists.
Bus drivers were ordered to use two lanes only to ease the congestion on EDSA.
The MMDA started the implementation of the policy on Monday despite the writ of preliminary injunction order issued by Quezon City court.
Provincial buses were also banned from traversing the stretch of EDSA from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. With Joel E. Zurbano
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