Senator Aquilino Koko Pimentel III called on the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to exempt senior citizen drivers from its new traffic scheme which prohibits single occupant vehicles from plying the main EDSA road artery.
“Let’s exempt senior citizen from this rule. Exemption from this traffic scheme means they would be able to reach their destinations easier and faster. We should do everything we could to give utmost consideration to the elderly,” the senator urged.
MMDA Regulation No. 18-005, which was implemented on a trial basis starting August 15 and shall take full effect on August 23, classifies the entirety of EDSA, from Balintawak to Magallanes as constituting High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes.
HOVs are defined as all public and private vehicles except motorcycles with at least two occupants including the driver, meaning there is at least one passenger accompanying the driver.
Violators of the new regulation shall be fined P1,000.
The lawmaker emphasized that only 8.2% of the population are senior citizens, and that the percentage of senior citizen drivers using EDSA is probably even lower.
“Only 8.2% of the population are senior citizens.”
“This,” according to Pimentel, “will not be a big dent on the target reduction of 70% of vehicular traffic during rush hours.”
“The percentage of senior citizen drivers using EDSA is probably even lower.”
“The MMDA should consider seniors as belonging to special class of citizens entitled to exemption. Commuting in Metro Manila is admittedly very difficult, moreso for senior citizens who may not be able to handle the physical stress that comes with taking public transport,” explained the legislator.
“We should do what we can not to add to the physical and mental stresses of our senior citizens, especially those their age who still have the capacity to drive,” Pimentel stressed.
The lawmaker emphasized that the HOV scheme could be a practical short-term solution to the everyday traffic woes of Metro Manila, but pointed out that the eventual decongestion of EDSA was still dependent on the implementation and installation of a more modern, efficient and comprehensive public transport system.
