Photo by Matikas Santos/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Aside from being the most famous road in the entire country with a revolution named after it, Edsa—acronym for Epifanio de los Santos Avenue—is also in part a marketplace, parking lot, transport terminal, and garbage dump.
Near the vicinity of the Edsa-Congressional intersection in Quezon City, jeepneys and buses load and unload passengers as far as three lanes from the sidewalk despite the presence of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic constables.
Meanwhile, the two yellow lanes allotted for public utility vehicles (PUVs) have been occupied by UV Express shuttles and taxis that set up an impromptu terminal with barkers alongside vendors of fried street food, fruits, clothing, bags, and other wares.
Commuters go up to the second or third lane from the sidewalk of EDSA to be able to hail a bus or jeep causing a bottleneck that congests three lanes which results in heavy traffic stretching as far as the SM North Annex building.
MMDA traffic constables deployed at the area repeatedly gesture for the PUVs to move forward but bus conductors and jeepney barkers continue to call for passengers.
Unenforced rules
When asked why they don’t immediately apprehend the drivers, one constable said “Kapag matigas lang ang ulo [Only if they are stubborn].”
According to the MMDA’s list of traffic violations and penalties, violation of the BUS/PUJ lane ordinance carries a fine of P200 while loading or unloading in a prohibited zone has a P150 fine.
The organized bus route scheme being implemented by the MMDA also penalizes vehicles that load or unload passengers in excess of the prescribed time limit. Although no one is counting the time for each PUV that stops to load passengers below the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Roosevelt station.
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) lists obstruction as a violation defining it as “obstructing the free passage of other vehicles on the highway while discharging or taking passengers or loading and unloading freight.”
Obstruction has a penalty of P150 while “Illegal Parking Physical Apprehension MMDA Reg. No. 11-001 Series of 2011” has fine of P1,200, according to the MMDA.
Despite many rules and regulations in place, drivers continue to commit violations despite traffic constables being a few feet away.
At the Balintawak Market along the southbound lane of EDSA, delivery trucks and private vehicles park along the side of the road occupying up to two lanes while garbage litter the gutter.
Garbage dump
MMDA’s Anti-Littering Law penalizes littering and illegal disposal of garbage with a P500 fine. Improper and untimely stacking of garbage outside establishment likewise carries a fine of P500.
Obstruction of the sidewalk with merchandise or illegal structures is punishable by a P1,000 fine while have a dirty frontage and immediate surrounding of an establishment also has a P1,000 fine.
Those penalized have the option to render eight hours of community service for a P500 fine or 16 hours for the P1,000 fine.
Still, garbage can be seen piling up along the gutters of EDSA at the Balintawak Market on a daily basis.
Vendors have likewise occupied the pedestrian footbridges at the EDSA-Congressional intersection, Edsa-West Avenue intersection, and the Edsa-Aurora intersection despite the MMDA’s campaign against them.
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