De Lima: ‘Car jockeys’ could get around EDSA ban

MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) should not push through with its plan to prohibit driver-only vehicles on EDSA, Sen. Leila de Lima said yesterday.

“While car-pooling may be commendable, this plan prohibiting driver-only vehicles along EDSA could give rise to paid car jockeys who are more than willing to risk their own safety by getting into the cars of strangers just to earn money,” she said.

De Lima said this phenomenon was seen in Jakarta, Indonesia when its government implemented a 3-in-1 rule, wherein only vehicles with three or more passengers were allowed to use major roads in the capital.

 Many individuals started working as car jockeys, including school children, who quit school to become full-time jockeys, she added.

 Residents of Jakarta also claimed that the scheme was not able to ease traffic, which led to its repeal in 2016.

 “Our government should abandon its bad habit of experimenting on how to ease traffic congestion during rush hours. It cannot always try its luck through a trial-and-error in resolving the perennial traffic problem,” De Lima said.