Gov’t to build 3 rapid bus systems in MM

MANILA, Philippines -  The government will build an initial three bus rapid transit (BRT) systems in Metro Manila, Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, who chairs the House committee on Metro Manila development, said yesterday.

He said officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) revealed the approval of the BRT plan during a hearing of his committee this week.

“This is a revolutionary way of attacking the problem of traffic in major thoroughfares in Metro Manila. We were informed that the National Economic and Development Authority gave its approval and go signal to the three BRT lines,” he said.

He added that a BRT system is an efficient way of transporting commuters, as shown by the experience of countries that have tried it.

As revealed by DOTr officials, the initial BRT systems would be built along EDSA, Quezon Avenue and Circumferential Road 5 or C-5. Castelo said the DOTr would soon hold biddings for the projects.

“A BRT will have segregated and dedicated lanes. It will require cooperation among bus operators, instead of competition, which only results in accidents and other safety issues,” he said.

Quoting the officials, he said the system would be so efficient that car owners would opt to use it, instead of driving to their destinations.

This will eventually lessen traffic congestion, he stressed.

It is not yet clear where the dedicated lanes would be segregated along EDSA, Quezon Avenue and C-5. Without BRTs, these major roads are already congested.

In the case of EDSA, tracks for the Metro Rail Transit 3 line occupy its middle section.

Some members of the Castelo committee expressed concern over monstrous traffic jams the construction of the BRT system would create in any of the three major roads.

Marikina Rep. Bayani Fernando, former chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority, urged the DOTr to restudy its BRT plan.

He said buses clog EDSA because the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has issued permits for so many buses that exceed the capacity of the road.

 “The secret is in strictly regulating the dispatching of buses. We’ve done it in the past. We’ve constructed dispatching terminals in strategic areas in the periphery of Metro Manila at no expense to the government. We have to look into it again,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Senate committee on public services will start its inquiry into the planned construction of the P2.8-billion common station for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3, Light Rail Transit Line 1 and the coming MRT Line 7.

Sen. Grace Poe, who chairs the committee, said Friday the probe will help ensure that the common station will really be beneficial to the public and free from corruption.

She also called on the DOTr not to use the ongoing deliberations in Congress on the proposals to grant emergency powers to President Duterte as an excuse not to address the traffic crisis within its means.

Plenary debates in the Senate on the emergency powers began last week.

The proposed measure authorizes Duterte, through his appointed traffic crisis manager, to use alternative methods of procurement to speed up the implementation of key transportation projects.