Convoy of President, other top gov’t officials allowed to use Edsa busway

EXCLUSIVE LANE The fenced-in inner lane of Edsa is supposed to be for the exclusive use of passenger buses that will ferry passengers from Monumento in Caloocan City to Mall of Asia in Pasay City. INQUIRER file photo / LYN RILLON

MANILA,  Philippines — The vehicles of top ranking government officials are now allowed to ply the Edsa busway, Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes  said on Wednesday.

According to Artes, the Department of the Transportation (DOTr) insisted that the use of bus carousel lane should be limited to public utility buses, emergency vehicles and marked government vehicles.

“Nag usap po kami ng DOTR kagabi, nanindigan po sila na tatlo lang talaga ang pwede pong dumaan sa bus carousel: One, e yung mga bus na bumabyahe; two, yun pong mga emergency vehicles at clearly marked government vehicles,” he said in an interview at the Senate.

(We spoke with the DOTR last night, and they insisted that only three are really allowed to pass through the bus carousel. First, the public utility buses. Second, emergency vehicles, and clearly marked government vehicles.)

“In-extend po nila yan upon our recommendation to include po yung convoy po ng Presidente, Bise Presidente, and Senate President, House Speaker tsaka Chief Justice of the  Supreme Court,”  he  added.

(They extended it, upon our recommendation, to include the convoy of the President, Vice President, Senate President, House Speaker, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.)

However, the issue whether or not to allow vehicles with protocol plates “6, 7, and 8” on the Edsa busway still needs further discussion and study, Artes said.

Vehicles with number “6” protocol plates are assigned to Cabinet officials, while plate numbers “7” and “8” are reserved for  senators and congressmen, respectively.

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Artes noted there are more than 300 lawmakers in the House of Representatives alone.

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“Kung ia-allow natin yung with protocols 6,7,8, aabot po yan ng halos 400 vehicles so kailangan po talaga nating araling mabuti,” he pointed out.

(If we allow those with protocols 6, 7, 8, it will reach almost 400 vehicles, so we really need to study it carefully.)