MALACAÑANG on Thursday, August 16, expressed support for the new traffic scheme that prohibits single-occupancy vehicles on the Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) during rush hour in an attempt to ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila.
In a press conference, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said there was nothing wrong with the plan of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority's (MMDA) new traffic scheme.
He said the plan is similar to the traffic policy in the United States, where high-occupancy toll lanes have been used by solo driver vehicles.
"Maganda naman po ang hangarin ng MMDA, mabawasan ang sasakyan sa Edsa. Ito naman po ay ginaya rin natin doon sa experience ng maraming bansa gaya ng Estados Unidos," he said.
(The intention of the MMDA is good to reduce the volume of cars in EDSA. It is patterned after the experience of many countries like the United States.)
"So let's give it a chance. Lahat naman po ine-explore natin para magkaroon ng solusyon dito sa problema ng traffic," he added.
(So let's give it a chance. We are exploring everything to come up with a solution on the traffic problems.)
The MMDA is targetting to start the full implementation of the expanded High Occupancy Vehicle scheme on EDSA on August 23, in a bid to decongest Metro Manila's major thoroughfare.
Some government officials and motorists have opposed the new scheme, saying that barring driver-only vehicles one-car ban was not the solution to address the traffic situation in the country.
Despite criticisms, the MMDA began Wednesday, August 15, the dry run of the ban on single-occupancy cars on Edsa.
Meanwhile, Roque reminded motorists to "follow traffic rules and accord respect to traffic enforcers."
This comes after a video of a Christina Villamora Estepa, a motorist identified as a Department of Justice prosecutor, went viral.
In the video, Estepa was caught arguing with MMDA traffic enforcers and refused to surrender her driver's license over illegal parking violation.
Estepa already apologized for the incident but the MMDA pursued the filing of a complaint against her before the Land Transportation Office, requesting for the suspension or revocation of her driver's license.
Roque reminded that public officials and employees are bound to observe the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
"Siguro po ‘yang Code of Ethical Conduct po for government employees, ‘yan po ay batas. Dapat po sinusunod ng lahat ng taong-gobyerno," he said.
"[President Rodrigo Duterte] is always hoping that people will follow his example by following traffic rules and according respect to traffic enforces, and of course following the laws of the land," the Palace official added. (SunStar Philippines)