MANILA -- The Metro Manila Council (MMC) is set to hold a meeting to deliberate on the expanded high occupancy vehicle (HOV) traffic scheme on Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) following a resolution issued by the Senate calling for its suspension.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) continues on its dry-run of the traffic scheme.
The scheme allows vehicles with two or more occupants with driver to traverse in Edsa from North Avenue in Quezon City to Magallanes in Makati City on both northbound and southbound directions from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. during weekdays.
MMDA general manager Jojo Garcia said the agency respects the view of the senators, who cited that it was crafted without consultation with various sectors and this might lead to heavy vehicular volume on alternate routes.
“We respect the resolution. What we are trying to do is to convene the Metro Manila Council hopefully soon,” Garcia said in a TV interview Thursday.
The MMC is the policy-making body of MMDA, consisting of the mayors of the 16 cities and a municipality in Metro Manila.
Senate Resolution No. 845 urges the MMC and the MMDA to suspend the HOV scheme and look for long-term solutions to ease traffic in Metro Manila.
The resolution pointed out that the driver-only ban would effectively deprive thousands of people of the use of the country’s major thoroughfare since it would be in effect during the working and commuting hours of the week.
Garcia said traffic has eased in Edsa during the first day of the dry-run Wednesday.
“Lumuwag ang Edsa. Napunta yung traffic sa mga alternate routes (Traffic eased on Edsa and was diverted to alternate routes),” he added.
He reiterated that the scheme aims to encourage carpooling among motorists and is one of the short-term measures being implemented by the MMDA to improve the traffic situation in the metropolis.
“HOV is not a band aid solution; it’s a short term measure while infrastructure projects are being constructed for the long term,” Garcia said.
Data from the MMDA show that a total of 2,905 vehicles were monitored to have violated the HOV scheme through closed circuit television cameras under the no contact apprehension policy and handheld cameras of its enforcers on the ground Thursday morning.
A total of 3,628 violators were flagged down during the first day of the dry-run on Wednesday.
The MMDA is eyeing to purchase thermal cameras to effectively catch violators of the expanded HOV traffic scheme.
Ridesharing firm Grab Philippines, meanwhile, urged its passengers to avoid setting pickup and dropoff points along Edsa.
The company encourages its drivers to use the yellow lane and take the nearest exit away from Edsa if it is unavoidable to pass by without a passenger.
“We ask our drivers and passengers to be patient as we work with the regulators to set an acceptable scheme that carefully considers sentiment and suggestions of our TNVS market,” Grab public affairs head Leo Gonzales said in a statement.
Around 60-70 percent of vehicles that pass along Edsa have only single occupants, according to data from the MMDA.
There are 367,738 vehicles traversing the major artery daily, 67 percent of which are private vehicles based on Edsa's annual average daily traffic in 2017. (PNA)
