MMDA to talk with LGUs on provincial buses' return on EDSA

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said on Monday it will coordinate with local government units (LGUs) on the issuance of ordinances regulating the possible return of some 4,000 provincial buses along EDSA.

MMDA chairperson Benjamin Abalos Jr. said he plans to meet with mayors of Pasay, Caloocan, Makati, Mandaluyong, San Juan and Quezon City to help them manage the provincial buses should they resume operations on the major thoroughfare.

“Kasi kung may ordinansa sila, number one baka pwedeng ‘wag nilang payagan or number two, lagyan ng window period—sige pumasok ka pero 12 a.m. hanggang 4 a.m ka lang—pwedeng ganon,” he said in a news conference.

(If they have an ordinance, they can maybe not allow the entry of provincial buses on EDSA or they can set a window period, let’s say, from 12 a.m. to 4 a.m.)

Abalos said the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) changed the routes of buses to pave way for the bus carousel as there are 85 bus stations in Metro Manila, including 37 along EDSA.

“Nung ginawa ito ng LTFRB, nagdemanda ‘yung isang bus company na, ‘Hindi mo pwedeng gawin sa amin ‘yan, pwede pa ring bumyahe sa EDSA.’ In short, nabigyan ng temporary restraining order (TRO) ng isang judge,” he said.

(When the LTFRB made this, a bus company filed a case, insisting that they can still travel along EDSA. In short, they were issued a TRO by a judge.)

He added that during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) issued a resolution to use the terminals to adhere to health protocols.

He said that if the resolution is recalled, the said TRO may already be implemented, allowing the return of 4,000 provincial buses on EDSA. 

“Hindi covered ng TRO ‘yon dahil IATF ‘yon eh. Ang problema, ito ngayon sa IATF, parang tatanggalin na itong patakaran na ito dahil mababa na ang kaso, hindi na kailangan ng alert level,” Abalos said.

(The TRO does not cover the IATF. The problem is, IATF might remove this policy because of the decreasing COVID-19 cases in the country, we might not need the alert level system.)

Currently, passengers coming from the south have to alight at the Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PTEX), while those from the north have to go down at the Valenzuela Gateway Complex  Integrated Terminal (VGCIT). From there, they have to take another bus passing through the EDSA carousel stations.

“Ngayon, feeling ko mas trabaho tayo para of course i-convince ang mga mayors na magkaron sila ng ordinansa dahil ‘yon, hindi na saklaw ng TRO. It’s the only legal way at a lawyer na nakikita ko talaga at napagusapan namin,” he added

(No, I feel that we must work more to convince the mayors to have an ordinance because that is no longer covered by the TRO. That’s the only legal way I see as discussed with them.)—LDF, GMA News