Double ban on EDSA?

On August 15 Wednesday there will be a Double Ban on EDSA.

News reports indicate that the MMDA is intent on trying out their ban on single occupant vehicles on EDSA during rush hours on Wednesday August 15, which is the same day that the MMDA also bans all provincial buses on EDSA as well as inside Metro Manila. This in spite of the fact that this mad idea (the ban on single occupant vehicles on EDSA during rush hour) was largely the result of an “ambush interview” on MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia who decided to throw the controversial bone of contention at reporters nipping at his heel.

The sad part of it all is the fact that Mr. Garcia’s puppy treat is not based on any scientific, statistical or engineering research and according to sources, no one at the time had actually authored or publicly announced the mad idea as his or hers. Neither was there a commissioned study to back the mad idea. At most the idea of carpooling, alongside with the standard idea of establishing or isolating one lane for the HOV or High Occupancy Vehicle lane for car poolers, was on the table for some time but not totally banning single occupant vehicles in the entirety of EDSA.

I was told that the initial announcement or “Careless Whisper” was still in the works. My problem with that, as a Communications Teacher, is it is wrong! Wrong for government officials, especially as crucial as the MMDA General Manager to throw ideas up in the air even before they do the science, math and research as well as public consultation and information campaign. Government officials such as MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia are taken seriously, much like when the President makes declaration and people assume that to be policy or the position of government. Mr. Garcia’s 2 minutes of fame on the issue resulted in stressing out thousands of driver/commuter who go through EDSA regularly and often as single occupants of their vehicles. Mr. Garcia started a discussion and public debate that ate up people’s time, productivity and I dare say probably affected the popularity or rating of the government! It was unnecessary, premature and careless.

Either Mr. Garcia decided to launch a trial balloon and check what people’s reaction would be, or was his “Careless Whisper” to the press simply designed to stir things up and show certain people in Malacañang and politician’s that he and the MMDA under him were on the job and continuing to find solutions no matter how drastic, illogical or unpopular they may be? I suspect this to be the case especially because the ban on Single Occupant vehicles is reportedly being tested out on the same day that the MMDA will ban all provincial buses from entering Metro Manila even if their proposed terminal in Valenzuela is far from finished. I suspect that General Manager Garcia and his crew at the MMDA is gambling for a double or nothing gimmick.

The double ban will surely make it look like their idea is fantastic because it would really reduce vehicle volume on EDSA. I can already predict that the media will be lured into reporting “How light traffic is” after the Double Ban.  But does that make it right knowing they used the equivalent of a double threat forcing drivers and taxpayers to do what is against their will? Garcia keeps asking for public support and cooperation claiming that it is for the public good. In his stubborn pursuit of his “engineered” results, he forgets that forcing the double ban or just the ban on single occupant vehicles is a case of “One man’s gain but another man’s loss.”

If GM Garcia wanted public support for carpooling or vehicle reduction, he should have started with honest to goodness PUBLIC CONSULTATION and not just the self-serving chit-chat between him and the Metro Manila mayors. If those mayors were actually doing their job, why then does the MMDA have to spend millions of pesos to tear down illegal structures and send out Bong Nebria whose life is now greatly at risk?

People are confused on the Single Occupant vehicle ban, opposed to the idea BUT SUPPORTIVE of a legitimate carpool lane or the High Occupancy Vehicle lane. Many suggest that the “program” be facilitated by the MMDA in private villages, private schools and universities, companies and factories who can organize “Carpools,” register participants and help determine routes and schedules. For its part, the MMDA can issue HOV lane stickers and simply make sure that the HOV lane is “fast,” safe and easy to use. That is the best incentive for carpooling and volume reduction!

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Aside from the controversy that was stirred by the ban being pushed for by the MMDA, another unsolicited messaging that has caused controversy and was highly unpopular was the proposal of Congressman-Economist Joey Salceda to tone down inflation by way of importation, particularly to import fish, meat, poultry and grains. The controversial announcement was met by a howl of protests from backyard farms all the way to the Senate and the Executive department particularly the Department of Finance forcing Salceda et al to retreat on their position.

Again it was a case of “One man’s gain but another man’s loss.” What I found ironic is that once again, there was no public consultation just antagonizing the public with solutions and ideas of an elite few and not one actually placed under careful scrutiny, backed with case history, success stories and consultation. 

Someone in Congress/Senate should draft a bill that would prevent or punish public officials from indiscriminately declaring half-cooked policies that are not backed by actual studies or research and real public consultations. We can call it “Reckless Agitation resulting in fear and mass panic.”

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