ACCORDING to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), some unruly individuals have shattered glass panels on the new elevators at the Balintawak and Guadalupe southbound stations of the EDSA busway before passengers could use them.
Meanwhile, cables at the control panel and car top at the Bagong Barrio Center Island Station have been pulled out.
Despite these incidents, the newest EDSA Busway Station at PhilAm QC opened to the public on Monday morning.
It has three transparent elevators to make the pedestrian footbridge leading to the bus carousel more accessible, especially for senior citizens, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has also installed a smart traffic surveillance system, which will be used not only at this station but also at other busway stops.
In addition to Philam QC, the DOTr aims to rehabilitate other EDSA busway stations, namely, Guadalupe, Balintawak, Bagong Barrio, and Monumento.
DOTr: Rehabilitation of 5 EDSA busway stations costs nearly P100-M
The budget for the rehabilitation of these stations amounts to nearly P10-M.
The DOTr aims to install 15 elevators in the mentioned stations.
“We want to install manlifts in all the stations and we will work closely with MMDA. So, we will ask for an additional budget of around P200-M,” said Sec. Jaime Bautista, DOTr.
The MMDA is urging the public to value the projects built for the passengers.
“You know why we made them transparent? For safety reasons. If it’s enclosed and the person inside can’t be seen, it could lead to crimes like robbery, rape, or molestation of passengers. That’s why we made it transparent. So, we are calling on everyone to take care of and preserve this government project,” according to Atty. Romando Artes, Chairman, MMDA.
P2.5-B aid for PUV operators may be distributed in coming days
Meanwhile, the aid for public utility vehicle (PUV) operators affected by the successive oil price hikes is expected to be distributed in the coming days.
According to DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista, the billions of pesos in funds are ready for the qualified beneficiaries.
“Although we have already downloaded the funds to LTFRB, it is now a matter of distributing it because it also involves the Landbank of the Philippines as the distribution will be through the Landbank of the Philippines. So, maybe in a few weeks, we will start this distribution. Our fuel subsidy is P2.5-B,” said Bautista.
As of now, the LTFRB has not responded to the DOTr Chief’s statement regarding the fuel subsidy.
