PNP chief : Don’t expect ‘magic’ to happen on Edsa traffic

The traffic chaos on Edsa cannot be solved just like ‘’magic’’ even with the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group now managing traffic on the busy highway, according to PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez.

Expectations are high for the PNP after they have been tapped by President Benigno Aquino III to solve the perennial traffic congestion on Metro Manila’s busiest thoroughfare — a problem the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority had failed to address.

But Marquez said on Monday that people cannot expect magic to happen, just like providing solution for the congestion on Edsa which is mainly caused by the high volume of vehicles.

“Even if you put the HPG on Edsa, the high volume of traffic is still there. We cannot expect magic to happen. Our objective is to make traffic flow better by decongesting those six choke points,” Marquez told reporters after the sendoff of 96 HPG personnel to Edsa early Monday.

And making traffic flow better for Marquez means getting rid of colorum (unregistered) buses, clamping down on illegal terminals, and removing all obstructions on the road particularly in the six choke points.

“The volume of traffic in Edsa will remain. Let’s not expect that once the HPG starts manning the traffic, it would lessen. Of course not, we will just improve the traffic flow,” he stressed.

HPG will adjust 

In a separate interview, HPG director Chief Superintendent Arnold Gunnacao said they aim to sustain what the HPG had started on its first day on Edsa. Traffic was visibly light in most areas of Edsa, particularly in Balintawak, Shaw Boulevard, and Ortigas.

For Daphne Magturo, a commuter based in Valenzuela City, the presence of HPG policemen had helped ease the usual traffic gridlock on Edsa-Balintawak.

“It’s Monday morning so I was expecting heavy traffic and a stressful start to my week. I was surprised to reach my destination in Quezon City from Valenzuela in around 15 minutes, as it usually takes me more than an hour. Traffic movement was continuous all throughout,” Magturo said in a text message to INQUIRER.net.

In areas outside the choke points, however, there had been a traffic buildup, particularly on the northbound lane of Edsa from North Avenue to Santolan.

“If we would not be successful in easing the traffic, we will make adjustments. If our measures were not effective, we will adjust so we could fulfill our mission to reduce traffic congestion on Edsa,” Gunnacao said.  Julliane Love de Jesus