MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is looking into the possibility of allowing “window hours” for provincial buses along Edsa.
MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said on Thursday that he will propose the idea to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) that provincial buses be allowed to enter Edsa from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.
“I’m going to suggest this to LTFRB, baka pwede from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m., pwedeng papasukin ‘yang provincial bus sa Edsa,” Garcia said in a press conference in Makati City.
He pointed out that some provincial buses arrive in Metro Manila at that time when the traffic is not yet heavy.
“Ang reason, some provincial buses dumadating ng Manila, mga ganyang oras 4 a.m., kung padadaanin mo pa nga sa interim terminal sa Sta. Rosa, mag-aantay pa doon. By the time na pumasok sa Metro Manila, traffic na yung city bus,” Garcia explained.
(Some provincial buses arrive in Manila at around 4 a.m. If they pass through the interim terminal in Sta. Rosa, they will just wait there. By the time the city buses enter Metro Manila, there’s already traffic buildup.)
However, he clarified that the MMDA will still study the proposal.
Under the bus ban, provincial buses are not allowed on Edsa. They are required stop at the integrated transport terminals in Valenzuela City and in Parañaque City or Santa Rosa, Laguna province. City buses will pick up the Metro-bound passengers from there.
This policy aims to decongest traffic along Edsa, which is in line with the enforcement of MMDA Resolution No. 19-002 seeking to remove the 47 provincial bus terminals in the Metro’s main thoroughfare.
The MMDA implemented the dry run of the provincial bus ban last April. However, it suspended the implementation pending the completion of the guidelines and implementing rules. (Editor: Eden Estopace)
READ: MMDA suspends dry run of provincial bus ban