MMDA eyeing barricades vs illegal loading, unloading of passengers

MANILA, Philippines – The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Tuesday bared plans to put up barricades in several roads in Metro Manila to prevent the illegal loading and unloading of bus passengers.

MMDA Edsa traffic chief Bong Nebrija said that there are many bus drivers who still do not load and unload passengers in designated zones.

“‘Yan po ang pinagtutuunan namin ng pansin ngayon kasi minsan ‘yung ginagawa ng mga bus drivers, ang gagawin nila, magso-slow down sila sa traffic lights para makuha nila [‘yung mga paparating na pasahero] (Bus drivers often slow down before traffic lights to be able to load more passengers),” Nebrija said in a radio interview.

“Ang nangyayari, nagso-slow down din sa likod, (Hence, a traffic backlog forms), he added.

Nebrija said that one of the possible solutions to the problem is putting up barricades in undesignated loading and unloading areas.

“Ngayon, unti-unti na po naming pinu-pull ‘yan and at the same time may plano rin kami na bakuran yung mga areas kung saan sila nagbababa at nagsasakay ng hindi naman tama (We are addressing this little by little, at the same time, we have plans to put up barricades in areas where bus drivers still load and unload passengers even though they are not allowed to do so),” Nebrija said.  / gsg

INQUIRER PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE