THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Tuesday rejected a proposal to allow carpooling on the EDSA Busway, warning that opening the dedicated lane to private vehicles would undermine its purpose as a mass transport system and worsen traffic for commuters.
In a statement, Transportation Secretary Giovanni "Banoy" Lopez said the EDSA Busway was designed to move people, not cars. It has provided fast and uninterrupted service to buses carrying up to 300,000 passengers daily.
“Any move to open this lane to private vehicles, even under the guise of carpooling, will inevitably slow down bus operations and defeat the very purpose for which the Busway was created,” Lopez said.
Lopez added that while the DOTr appreciated the efforts of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to find solutions to the capital region's traffic congestion, government policy under the president remained commuter-focused and pro-mass transit.
“The president’s directives are clear: transport policy must prioritize commuters, not be car-centric,” Lopez said, stressing that the EDSA Busway should remain exclusive to buses and the riding public.
The issue arose after the MMDA official was quoted as saying the agency was contemplating allowing large private vehicles to use the EDSA Busway for carpooling. Lopez right away opposed the proposal.
Following the DOTr’s stand, several transport groups publicly backed the secretary and opposed any plan to open the busway to private cars.
The Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines (Pboap), through its executive director and spokesman, Engr. Alex Yague, said allowing private vehicles on the busway would defeat the very intent of the program.
“I agree with Secretary Lopez, the EDSA Carousel is designed for buses that are for mass transport,” Yague said.
The declaration of support was conveyed through the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), which also aligned itself with the DOTr’s position against making the busway accessible to private vehicles.
Two major transport groups likewise raised concerns over the proposal.
Altodap President Melencio “Boy” Vargas warned that opening the lane to carpooling would bring EDSA back to its old state of severe congestion, to the detriment of ordinary workers.
“The EDSA Busway is already operating smoothly, so why disturb it? This will only bring us back to the old system where traffic on EDSA was tangled and chaotic because there was no proper system,” Vargas said.
Pasang Masda National President Ka Obet Martin echoed the concern, noting that the EDSA Busway has only one lane and was highly vulnerable to congestion if more vehicles were allowed.
“The more vehicles you allow to pass through there, the greater the chance it will get blocked, and more bus passengers will be affected,” Martin said.
Both jeepney transport leaders said operators and drivers were currently benefiting from the EDSA Busway operation, which had helped improve travel times and traffic flow along the major thoroughfare.
Despite his firm opposition, Lopez said the DOTr remained open to dialogue with the MMDA, other government agencies, and civil society groups to develop more innovative and holistic solutions to Metro Manila’s traffic problems — so long as these remained anchored on strengthening public transportation rather than accommodating more private cars.
