VARIOUS public transport groups support the government’s expanded number coding scheme and other measures being enforced to ease road congestion in Metro Manila.
This developed shortly after Metro Manila Development Authority acting chairman Thomas Orbos met officers and members of the Pasang Masda led by Zeny Maranan, Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Fejodap) led by Efren de Luna and Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Altodap) headed by Boy Vargas at the agency’s main office in Makati City on Friday.
The move is in line with the MMDA’s consultative planning to come up with a concrete and specific stakeholder solutions to traffic in the metropolis, especially along the 23.8-kilometer Epifanio de los Santos Avenue.
Traffic in Metro Manila resulted in an estimated productivity loss of around P2.4 billion a day or more than P800 billion a year.
Orbos said his meeting with transport leaders was aimed at addressing the concerns of the public transport sector regarding their operations and discussing the groups’ proposals to improve the worsening traffic situation in the National Capital Region.
During the meeting, the transport leaders expressed support to the number coding scheme and the suspension of its window hours from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., noting it had improved travel time which in turn benefitted the public transport sector as it enabled public utility jeepney drivers to make more trips.
The groups also suggested that emergency power, if given to President Rodrigo Duterte, should include the MMDA’s supervisory authority over traffic enforcers of the 17 local government units in Metro Manila.
The power to suspend driver’s license of repetitive reckless violations should also be given to the agency, the transport leaders added.
The transport leaders also appealed to both private and public drivers to have self-discipline and follow traffic rules and regulations even without the presence of enforcers.
In calling for support to President Duterte, the transport groups vowed to police their ranks and imbibe in their members the principle of self-discipline.
“We will be the ones to police our fellow drivers. We will persuade them to follow rules and regulations and if we found out they committed numerous traffic violations, suspension of membership would follow,” said De Luna.
The groups gave assurances that officials of each transport organization would serve as enforcers to keep their member-drivers in tow.
“We are are in favor of the existing measures being implemented by the MMDA,” De Luna added.
The transport groups also reiterated their call on the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and Land Transportation Office to intensify the government’s drive against colorum and out-of-line operations.
Orbos, for his part, assured the transport leaders the agency would bring their concerns and grievances to Transportation Secretary Arturo Tugade.
“I will be your conduit to Secretary Tugade,” Orbos said, adding he would set up a meeting to be a venue of the dialogue between the parties.
The transport leaders also vowed to encourage their members to be pro-active in helping solve the traffic problem.
“We will ask them to communicate with MMDA through its hotline or social media accounts and report problems they see on the roads like traffic and road obstructions so the agency can address and act on (these) immediately.”
Early this month, Orbos met federation of motorcycle riders and other groups and discussed road accidents, traffic problem and other concerns.
The agency discussed with the motorcycle riders the revived motorcycle lanes scheme along Edsa and Commonwealth Avenue, which was initiated by then MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino in 2012.
The establishment of the Edsa motorcycle lanes is based on Memorandum Circular 12-01 Series of 2012 approved by the Metro Manila Council.
MMDA officials will hold separate meetings in the coming days with operators and owners of schools bus service providers, armored vans, funeral transport providers and driving schools.