Metro Manila mayors to discuss driver-only ban on Edsa in a meeting

The Metro Manila Council (MMC) will hold a meeting to deliberate on the expanded high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) traffic scheme on Edsa, following a resolution issued by the Senate calling for its suspension, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Jojo Garcia said on Thursday.

“We respect the Senate resolution, but we need to convene the Metro Manila Council,” Garcia said in Tagalog in an interview over DZMM.

He added that the MMDA is open to changes and would ask the council to review and approve recommendations.

“Nananawagan kaming mag-participate tayo (We are calling on everybody to participate in the discussion),” he added.

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri and Minority Leader Franklin Drilon filed Senate Resolution No. 845 on Wednesday, the first day of MMDA’s weeklong dry-run of the scheme.

READ: Four senators call for immediate suspension of ban on solo drivers on Edsa

The Senators said the MMC and MMDA should first conduct public consultations and further study before implementing the driver-only ban on Edsa.

In the resolution, they “strongly” urged the council to recall an MMDA regulation that established the HOV traffic scheme on Edsa.

The MMC is the policymaking body of the MMDA, which consists of the mayors of the 16 cities and a municipality in Metro Manila.

The HOV scheme prohibits driver-only vehicles along Edsa during rush hours or from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays. /ee

READ: Nearly 3,000 drivers caught violating ban on ‘singles’ on Edsa

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