The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said that half of the traffic violators caught plying along the EDSA bus lanes were government personnel.
In a radio interview on Sunday, MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago said that according to a consolidated list of the Inter-Agency Council on Traffic (i-ACT), Highway Patrol Group and MMDA, an average of 30 private vehicles a day illegally pass through the dedicated bus lanes on EDSA.
“Kalahati po dito ay nakakalungkot pero mga kasamahan po natin sa gobyerno ang sakay po gamit ang kanilang mga pribadong sasakyan,” Pialago said.
The MMDA spokeswoman said that government personnel who are using their own private vehicles are not allowed to pass through the bus lanes on EDSA.
“Maaring tayo po ay miyembro ng mga ilang ahensya kagaya po ng PNP, BJMP, MMDA pero kapag ang gamit po natin ay pribadong sasakyan, hindi po tayo maaaring dumaan sa EDSA busway,” she said.
Pialago stressed that only emergency vehicles are allowed to use the portion of EDSA.
“Pwede lang pong dumaan dyan ay ang mga emergency government vehicles… ambulansya, police mobile… yung mga mobile po na may mga wang-wang,” Pialago explained.
She explained that other motorists might follow the lead of government employees if they pass through the EDSA bus lanes using their own vehicles.
“Hindi naman po sa pinupuntirya ang ating mga kasamahan pero tandaan po natin na kapag pribadong sasakyan po ang pumasok dyan, tutularan po tayo nung mga pribadong motorista at masisira po yung konsepto ng EDSA busway dahil ang prayoridad po diyan ay yung mga city buses at emergency vehicles,” Pialago explained.
Meanwhile, Pialago said that the number of vehicular accidents related to the concrete barriers along EDSA decreased this July. She said that the agency only recorded three vehicular accidents so far, a far cry from more than 40 accidents last month.
“Nakapagtala po tayo ng nasa mahigit 40 vehicular accidents related po ito sa mga concreate barriers pero pag pagasok po ng July, nabawasan po ito. Halos nakapag tala lang po tayo ng tatlo.
Pialago said that unlike last month, only minor vehicular accidents were recorded along EDSA.
“Nangyari naman po ito hindi major vehicular accidents, hindi naman po kagaya ng mga naunang aksidente na talagang mga lasing at bumabalibag yung sasakyan. Wala na po tayong reported na ganun. Yung mga ilang motorista na lang na naliligaw sabay biglang labas po… yun po yung kadalasang nagiging cause ng aksidente sa EDSA busway,” Pialago said.
