Two officials of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) expressed their support of granting President Rodrigo Duterte emergency powers to resolve the issue of traffic congestion in Metro Manila.
In a dzBB interview, MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago said granting it would “at least circumvent existing procurement laws… and will fast-track transportation projects.”
The MMDA official said that the emergency powers would have implemented the agency’s policy banning provincial buses along EDSA.
“At least if there is emergency power, only one entity would be followed when it comes to implementing and legalizing traffic policies,” Pialago explained.
The MMDA’s proposed policy was earlier barred by a Quezon City court through a writ of preliminary injunction.
Pialago added that it would also help implement policies on traffic management such as “opening subdivisions to private and public vehicles.”
Meanwhile, MMDA traffic czar Edison Nebrija said it would be easy for the agency to execute traffic rules should emergency powers push through.
“Mabibigyan kami ng polisiya, ng bagong batas na puwedeng ipatupad para mapadaloy ang trapiko (We will be given a policy, or a new law, that we can implement to fix traffic flow),” Nebrija said.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade earlier asked the Senate to approve a bill granting emergency powers to President Duterte in a bid to solve the traffic situation in Metro Manila.
Duterte earlier said that traffic situation along EDSA will soon improve by the end of the year. – With Ghio Ong/STAR