The Financial Executive Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) emphasized the importance of having organized mass transportation at the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA).

“We know that the traffic congestion and the problem in mass transportation is a big hindrance to our economy in fact before this every day, what we call the economic opportunity losses reached to three billion(pesos) or more than three billion (pesos) per day. So just imagine if were able to remove that hindrance. It will be a big help to our government,” FINEX chairman Eduardo Yap said during the public briefing on Saturday.

To organize the mass transportation in EDSA, Yap highlighted the proposed measures to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

Yap said these include franchise rationalization and group restructuring where the buses that will be allowed in EDSA will only have a single route and to transfer the bus lane from the area near the sidewalk to the inner lane of the busiest highway in Metro Manila.

“These three complimentary measures are being done now by the DOTr… It is a big help to our economy … in short productivity will go up…,” he said.

Yap also noted that the DOTr should also make reform on car lanes, saying that the coding system is no longer effective.

“We see that the coding system is not effective, the motorist is just buying another vehicle to get another plate number to avoid the coding. It does not help. Themore effective system is the (take it reduction measure), in Singapore it is called congestion fee charges. Before you can enter the inner city those who are onboard the vehicle should pay congestion fee. Now if you want to avoid that do not go to the city’s inner core during peak hours. It regulates. It modifies the behavior of motorists,” he said. Robina Asido/DMS