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| Compiled photo from Inquirer and abs-cbn (ctto) |
Senator Grace Poe, chair of the Senate Committee on Public
Services, on Thursday, said she will convene a Senate hearing on the Metro Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA)
proposed provincial bus ban along EDSA that is set on, August 13.
Poe demanded an explanation from transport officials on the
gridlock that commuters experienced in the last few days.
She was deeply disappointed that the public was being
treated like a “science project” for transportation officials who try different
traffic schemes while the public commuters suffered.
“Matinding kalbaryo na
naman ang nararanasan ng ating mga kababayang dumadaan sa EDSA. Maniningil tayo
ng paliwanag at hindi natin palalagpasin ang kailangang managot sa kaguluhang
ito,” she said.
The public have been annoyed
because of heavier traffic along EDSA these past days as the MMDA strictly
implements the yellow lane policy for city buses.
According to MMDA, the yellow lane policy, city buses can
only use the two outermost lanes for public utility vehicles along EDSA.
However, Sen. Poe said the scheme should be closely studied amid
the worsening traffic.
“Kung nagpatupad
ng polisiya, bakit kalunos-lunos ang paglala ng trapik?” she asked
Various groups have questioned the legality of the
provincial bus ban before the Supreme Court, claiming the MMDA does not have
the authority to ban provincial buses along EDSA as the agency does not have
legislative nor police powers.
This was not the first time the directive to close down bus
terminal along EDSA, it was proposed by the former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
in 2003, but later on turned down by the Supreme court in 2007, in which bus
operators became their basis for questioning its legality.
Source: Politiko
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