(Eagle News) — President Aquino has directed the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group to be the lead traffic law enforcement agency along EDSA, and designated the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) as one of several support agencies in enforcing traffic regulations.
Aquino said the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (HPG) will lead the implementation of traffic rules in Metro Manila, as Malacanang identified six “choke points” along EDSA.
The directive came about after an inter-agency meeting on traffic held in Malacanang
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. announced this on Tuesday, Sept. 1, and said the new deployment would start on Monday.
“The President approved the deployment of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) to serve as the lead traffic law enforcement agency on EDSA,” Coloma announced.
In his statement, Coloma also said the President directed that the MMDA, Land Transportation Office (LTO), and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to provide continuing support to the HPG.
Secretary Coloma said that after the meeting, which was presided over by President Aquino, it was agreed that “priority action will be taken to clear six major intersections that are traffic congestion ‘choke points’ along EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue), namely, Balintawak, Cubao, Ortigas, Shaw Boulevard, Guadalupe, and Taft Avenue”.
“Among the immediate action steps agreed were: (1) Stricter enforcement of the bus lanes along EDSA; (2) Clearing of obstructions on EDSA and alternate routes; (3) Continuing consultations with bus and public utility operators, truckers and port users and other stakeholders,” the statement concluded.
PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez said 96 HPG personnel for every shift will be deployed initially in major intersections along EDSA.
Marquez tasked HPG director Chief Supt. Arnold Gunnacao to deploy the 96 traffic policemen to Balintawak, Cubao, Ortigas, Shaw Blvd., Guadalupe and Pasay-Taft along the stretch of EDSA.
“The PNP through the HPG will start coordinating on Wednesday with other agencies involved in traffic management,” he said.
Marquez said around 500 MMDA traffic enforcers would assist the HPG.
“The primary consideration here is to clear the choke points,” Coloma stressed.
The meeting was attended by Cabinet Secretary Jose Almendras, MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino, Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, National Economic and Development Authority Director General Arsenio Balisacan, PNP Chief Ricardo Marquez, and Department of Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Austere Panadero, representing Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II.