Third bus hits concrete barrier on Edsa

MANILA, Philippines — Another bus on Monday morning slammed into the concrete barriers set up along the dedicated bus lane in Edsa, the third such accident since its opening.

Despite this, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) found no need to reengineer the busway’s width, saying “it is not narrow because the speed limit there is just 50 kilometers per hour.”

“If only the drivers follow the speed limits then there would be no accidents,” said MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago. “Of the 550 authorized buses allowed to use the busway, barely 1 percent of them are getting into crashes. Why do they have to speed up when that lane is already theirs?”

In a statement, the Department of Transportation identified the bus as belonging to MSJ Tours and the driver as Jelvin Mamac.

Pialago said they planned on recommending the suspension of his license. A show-cause order would also be issued against him and the bus company.

—Krixia Subingsubing