Solon: Privatizing Edsa busway will be ‘another burden to commuters’
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority inspects the EDSA Busway Carousel – Monumento Station in Quezon City on Friday, September 23. Courtesy of MMDA Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines – The proposed privatization of Edsa Bus Carousel operations would further burden commuters, saying this may be prone to fare hikes, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers Rep. France Castro warned on Friday.
Castro made this assertion in light of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista saying that the government is looking into privatizing the busway system by 2023.
“The planned privatization of the Edsa Bus Carousel would just be another burden to commuters because it would mean higher bus fares for them,” she said. “What commuters need now is some relief due to the runaway high inflation. An extension, at least, of the free rides would be most welcome and not this planned privatization.”
READ: Free Edsa rides ending; privatized busway eyed
Castro further lamented the bid to privatize the Edsa Bus Carousel, noting that this would be an unfortunate start to the new year.
“Papasok pa lang ang taong 2023 ay pahirap na naman ang sasalubong sa ating mga kababayan. Sana ay gobyerno na lang ang magpatakbo ng Edsa Bus Carousel, panatilihing libre ito at bayaran din ng nasa tamang oras ang mga bus drivers at konduktor na nagsisilbi dito,” she said.
(The year 2023 is about to enter and another burden awaits the Filipino people. The government should handle the operations of the Edsa Bus Carousel, keep it free of charge and pay its bus drivers and conductors on schedule.)
Castro, however, pointed out that this should only be “a temporary arrangement until a more efficient, accessible and affordable mass transport system has been devised for the whole country and not just on Edsa.”
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board earlier announced that its 24/7 “Libreng Sakay” program at the Edsa Bus Carousel is set to end by Dec. 31.
More than 80.8 million passengers availed of the Edsa Bus Carousel free rides as of Dec. 27, according to the DOTr.
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