MANILA, Philippines — The riding public was not consulted before the dry run on the provincial bus ban was enforced along Edsa, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic chief Edison “Bong” Nebrija admitted Monday, as he also confirmed that provincial buses are just 5 percent of vehicles plying the major thoroughfare. While Nebrija said they did not conduct “public consultations that everybody wanted,” he said he knew the clamor of commuters riding provincial buses. Ako Bicol Rep. Alfred Garbin Jr., whose party-list earlier asked the Supreme Court to stop the implementation of the provincial bus ban on Edsa, meanwhile asked why the traffic management agency focused on regulating provincial buses which are just 5 percent of the total number of vehicles plying Edsa. 19-2 which asks local governments to revoke or stop the issuance of business permits to provincial bus terminals on Edsa started on April 23, according to Nebrija. READ: MMDA’s provincial bus ban on Edsa needs further review, officials admitHouse transportation chair Cesar Sarmiento said inclusive public hearings with bus operators and commuters, as well as vital data, are needed before the policy’s implementation.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer May 20, 2019 04:29 UTC