POE ASKS OFFICIALS TO EXPLAIN EDSA GRIDLOCK, SETS HEARING ON PROVINCIAL BUS BAN ON AUG. 13

Transport officials should explain the traffic that has choked EDSA and brought untold misery to the public, despite the test run of the EDSA provincial bus ban, Sen. Grace Poe said.

The Senate Committee on Public Services, chaired by Poe, will call the officials and other concerned sectors to a public hearing on Tuesday, August 13, at 10 a.m. at the Senate Session Hall.

The panel will tackle Senate Resolution No. 954 seeking an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the proposed provincial bus ban along EDSA.

"Matinding kalbaryo na naman ang nararanasan ng ating mga kababayang dumadaan sa EDSA. Maniningil tayo ng paliwanag at hindi natin palalagpasin ang kailangang managot sa kaguluhang ito," Poe said.

"Bakit ginagawa tayong parang science project, puro eksperimento, habang taumbayan naman ang nagdurusa?" she asked.

Poe said traffic schemes and policies should consider both vehicles and people.

The gridlock reportedly came amid the implementation of the yellow lane for buses and the dry run for the provincial bus ban on EDSA.

"Kung nagpatupad ng polisiya, bakit kalunos-lunos ang paglala ng trapik?" Poe said.

Poe said the proposed scheme should be thoroughly scrutinized, especially amid the public clamor to suspend it and the legal questions raised by some groups before the courts.

"We will thresh out all these issues in a productive dialogue where all stakeholders will have a voice and will be part of the solution," she said.