The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) asked the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to prioritize the Mabuhay Lanes as a key strategy to alleviate traffic congestion on EDSA, highlighting their effectiveness in enabling efficient “point-to-point” travel.
“The existing Mabuhay lanes should be revitalized and utilized fully for motorcycles, and more so because they travel ‘point to point,” said MAP president Alfredo Panlilio.
He also called for the clearing of the Mabuhay lanes of all traffic obstructions and illegal parking, which is seen as a better solution considering the dismantling of the EDSA Carousel Line.
Panlilio warned that adding any extra lanes for private vehicles on EDSA would only result in more traffic congestion, as the lanes would inevitably be filled.
He said proposals such as congestion fee charges should be fully explained to motorists, let alone tested.
Addressing suggestions that private vehicles could potentially outperform buses in terms of passenger capacity on the Busway, Panlilio said such a comparison is unrealistic, noting that the MRT-3’s design capacity is limited to 350,000 passengers.
He said adding extra coaches or carriages could risk overloading the system’s superstructure and trackway and pointed out that there is no available space on the platforms to accommodate an extension of the train.
Panlilio also cautioned against the potential dismantling of the EDSA Carousel Line, stating that such a move would be counterproductive and in conflict with the National Transport Policy of 2017, which prioritizes public transportation as a key mobility solution.
“Any talk of possible dismantling of the EDSA Carousel Line at this stage would be ill-advised. It will be going against the National Transport Policy of 2017 where public transportation is given priority as a mobility solution mandating the DOTr and DPWH to implement and regulate it,” he said.
Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista commended the EDSA Busway as “the most efficient public transit system in Metro Manila.”
His view aligns with Panlilio, who noted the system’s success over the past three years, despite some incomplete aspects.