'Baliktarin natin': Lacson tells MMDA to implement counterflow on EDSA bus lane

Former senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson

Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidate Panfilo "Ping" Lacson has proposed to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) the purposeful counterflow of passenger buses along EDSA.

Lacson offered this as a solution-slash-commentary on the proposal to add exemptions on the use of the restricted EDSA bus lane.

He acknowledged that the bus counterflow solution wasn't an original idea, but still reckoned that it was worth a try.

"Gawin nating counterflow yung bus sa EDSA, yung northbound hayaan mong maging southbound (Let the buses go counterflow on EDSA, let those going northbound go the southbound direction). Let the problem solve itself," Lacson said during the the Alyansa slate's press conference Friday, Feb. 28 at Hotel Savano in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan.

"Lahat iiwas sa head-on collision. At saka wala ng exempted (Everybody will avoid head-on collisions. No need for exemptions)," he said.

Lacson said he saw such system being implemented in Taipei.

"Nagulat ako kasi minsan nandoon ako pasalungat yung mga bus. Halimbawa southbound, northbound yung bus. At wala na sanang exempted kasi kapag mayroong leeway, nagbigay ka ng exemption. Mayroon diyan mag-interpret para sa sarili nilang benefit," he said.

(I was surprised because one time I was there and the buses counterflowed. For example it's the southbound lane, but the bus was going northbound. And there should be no exemption because if there's leeway, an exemption is given. Others might interpret it as for personal benefit.)

"So, baliktarin natin (So let’s just do it in reverse)," said the former Philippine National Police chief.

"Kailangan lang i-review ng MMDA yung reconfiguration ng infrastructure kung paano nila mapapatupad na yung direction na takbo ng bus pasalungat sa traffic doon sa lane (The MMDA just needs to review it, the reconfiguration of the infrastructure, specifically how they can implement the direction of the bus going against the traffic on the lane)," noted Lacson.

Earlier this week, the PNP used the restricted lane due to the “urgent” need for a senior officer to get to PNP headquarters in Camp Crame. This move drew flak from the public.

On Thursday, Malacan̈ang reminded the PNP against using the term “emergency” as an excuse to break the busway rules.