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Friday, March 29, 2024

Party-list seeks Congress’ relief vs. provincial bus ban on EDSA

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The Ang Probinsyano Party-list has filed a resolution urging the Department of Transportation, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, the Metro Manila Council and the Metro Manila Development Authority to suspend the proposed ban on provincial bus terminals along EDSA.

While commending the transport agencies for trying to find a solution, Representatives Alfred Delos Santos and Ronnie Ong of Ang Probinsyano Party-list said the provincial bus ban was unnecessary.

Instead, they suggested that the government adopt “non-oppresive and less intrusive solutions that will improve the traffic condition along EDSA without unduly burdening millions of probinsyanos from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.” 

Delos Santos and Ong said in the resolution that provincial bus ban was unconstitutional because the MMC and the MMDA “has no police power, much less legislative power, to prohibit or revoke the issuance of business permits to public utility bus terminals.”

Similarly, they said the plan was “utterly oppressive, unfair” and will result in added burden to ordinary Filipinos such as  increase in cost and travel time and the inaccessibility of the proposed terminals. 

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“Banning provincial buses will have negligible effect on the traffic situation in EDSA since they only comprise a small percentage of the total vehicular traffic,” the resolution said. 

Delos Santos and Ong said that instead of rushing the implementation of the provincial bus ban, concerned government agencies should further consult all stakeholders and conduct more scientific and objective study on the real cause of traffic along EDSA.

“The House of Representatives has the power to provide a venue where it can oversee the implementation of the plan, gather all concerned government agencies and stakeholders, continue the consultations and exchange of ideas, thresh out issues and recommend solutions, promote the welfare of all affected commuters and hear the sentiments especially of the probinsyanos through their duly-elected representatives,” the solons said. 

Delos Santos and Ong added that instead of giving additional burden to the commuting “probinsyanos,” the government should first address various issues besetting Metro Manila transport sector.  

These problems include the delayed route rationalization of EDSA, the overlapping and conflicting functions of transport agencies; staffing and technical training concerns of the personnel of the DOTr, LTFRB, MMDA and other law enforcement agencies; delayed implementation of mass transport projects such as railways and bus rapid systems; and the delayed formulation and implementation of a people-oriented and sustainable national transportation plan.

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