Grace Poe wants MMDA report on effects of driver-only ban

Senator Grace Poe on Monday urged the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to come up with a report on the effects of the dry run of its driver-only ban on EDSA during rush hours.

Poe said she expected the report to be presented during a Senate hearing that she would call as regards the high-occupancy vehicle traffic scheme on Metro Manila's main thoroughfare.

On Friday, the Metro Manila Council (MMC) "unanimously" agreed to continue with the dry run of the ban and urged motorists to try carpooling and to cooperate with the policy. 

Poe said it was still unclear how long the dry run will last, what the proposals were, whether or not the violators will be apprehended and penalized or will they just be reminded of the plan.

“Pagkatapos ng dry run, gaano katagal ito? Two weeks, one week, one month? Dapat meron silang pag-aaral na ipepresenta sa madla at sa Senado. At least ipatatawag ko sila (kung) nakagaan ba talaga sa byahe, nakadagdag ba talaga ito sa carpooling goals nila,” Poe said.

She said that the driver-only ban succeeded in countries where there were enough alternative routes for the motorists.

“Ang high occupancy vehicle nagtatagumpay sa ibang lugar kung saan may ibang kalsada na pwedeng gamitin. Pero dito sa atin na talagang siksikan sa mga ibang kalsada e baka mahirapan talaga tayo,” Poe said.

She added the government should first finish the ongoing road works such as the NLEX-SLEX connector road before implementing such policies.

She further said utilizing the Dalian trains earlier procured by the government from China could also help reduce the number of commuters and vehicles plying EDSA during rush hours.

The trains were not used because these were reportedly incompatible with the existing MRT tracks.

“‘Yung sinasabi nilang mga trains na galing China hanggang ngayon ito ay pinag-aaralan pa kung compatible o hindi, makakatulong lahat ‘yun,” Poe said. —NB, GMA News