Francis Tolentino: ‘Solving EDSA traffic doable’

MANILA, Philippines — The perennial traffic along EDSA is a major challenge that can be solved, Francis Tolentino, who headed the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), said yesterday.

Tolentino, former presidential political adviser, noted that President Duterte had given up on decongesting EDSA after Congress failed to give him emergency powers to solve traffic woes in Metro Manila.

 “I understand where the President is coming from. Three years have passed but Congress was not able to grant him emergency powers to deal with the traffic mess on EDSA and other problems,” he said.

Tolentino initiated traffic intervention measures such as bus segration and functional pedestrian lane design when he was MMDA chairman.

 “Solving traffic along the busiest thoroughfare in the metropolis is doable,” he said.