Although Nov. 2, Wednesday, and Nov. 3, Thursday, were regular working days, they were sandwiched between All Saints’ Day and the Feast of Eid’l Fitr, the bulk of government and private sector workers did not report for work in those days and decided to enjoy a total of eight straight non-working days that started last Saturday, Oct. 29, until yesterday.
Big transport groups — led by the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide, Integrated Metro Bus Operators’ Association, and Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philipines, — said that after a long holiday, millions of workers and students will surely go back to work and schools today.
"We have to be ready to accommodate them in going to and from work and schools," the transport groups said. "We are hoping traffic will be manageable even during the rush hours in the morning and afternoon, since government authorities promised to field as many traffic officers as needed."
In Metro Manila, Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando promised that many traffic officers will be fielded the whole day today to make sure the flow of vehicles will be manageable even during the rush hours.
The groups assured that except in FX vans and taxis, students and elderly citizens will be accorded the usual 20 percent discount in fares. They said any driver or conductor found refusing to extend fare discounts to students and senior citizens will be dealt with severely.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has warned that operators of buses, jeepneys, and LRTs who refused to give fare discounts to students and senior citizens will be charged accordingly and their franchises cancelled.
The transport groups added that despite a substantial increase in the cost of diesel, gasoline, and other petroleum products due to the implementation of the 10 percent Expanded Value-Added Tax (EVAT), they have no immediate plan, at least within this year, to ask for a new fare increase.
MMDA ready
manage traffic
after the holidays
By CHITO A. CHAVEZ
Traffic enforcers of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) are ready to manage traffic in entry points and major thoroughfares of Metro Manila as 18 million workers and students return to work and school from the long All Saints’ Day holiday today.
MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando appealed to the public to bear with the temporary inconvenience. "MMDA traffic enforcers are prepared to decongest traffic in critical and problem areas in the metropolis," he said.
He said MMDA traffic enforcers and the MMDA Traffic Engineering Group (TEG) of Senior Supt. Philmore Balmaceda were deployed in key points of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) since yesterday afternoon where the bulk of traffic to and from Metro Manila is expected.
Balmaceda added that MMDA rescue teams and motorcycle units are on standby to maintain traffic and guide motorists at the NLEX and SLEX.
Fernando reminded provincial passenger bus drivers and conductors of the R1,000 fine and other stiff sanctions against unloading and loading commuters on non-designated loading and unloading bays.
He reiterated his call to provincial passenger buses that they are allowed to load only at their passenger bus terminals.
Under the Organized Bus Route (OBR) traffic scheme, the MMDA bars passenger buses on provincial routes to load and unload on busy streets and major roads of the metropolis.
Fernando bared that allowing provincial buses to stop on Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) and other traffic jam-prone roads slows down traffic, resulting into vehicular queues with the tail end reaching as far as one kilometer.
The MMDA chief reminded the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to finish by today all concrete re-blocking activities on EDSA to ease traffic.
He asserted that closing two to three lanes of EDSA for concrete blocking activities is not allowed, since it creates nothing but more traffic and chaos.
Over the weekend, traffic was at its worst in front of SM North EDSA and at the northbound approach of the EDSA-Buendia interchange.
An MMDA official said the DPWH may not complete its repairs on the deteriorated portions of EDSA at the rate it is going as he expressed exasperation over the slow pace of work.
MMDA Director Ramon Santiago reminded commuters to ride only on passenger buses with authorized MMDA tags to prevent inconvenience as motorcycle-riding MMDA personnel are on the lookout for passenger buses with illegal franchises.
