MANILA - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) believes there is a need to further study the proposed modification of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to transfer the lanes of buses using EDSA Bus Carousel to the other side, which will counter the traffic flow.

It was proposed to prevent the illegal entry of motorists to the busway. Transport officials also earlier said it would also be safer for commuters.

MMDA chairman Atty. Romando Artes told ABS-CBN News, in theory the idea will work. However, it could possibly cause accidents since buses will have to go against the traffic flow of other motorists.

“We really need to study it carefully. Kung hindi ka sanay sa Metro Manila or hindi mo ine-expect na may makakasalubong ka puwede mag-cause ng aksidente. Medyo fatal accident 'yan kasi magkasalubong parehong gumagalaw,” according to Artes.

“Maganda 'yung intention nung proposal but we have to weight the risk lalo na sa aksidente,” Artes added.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista on Thursday floated the idea after the controversial entry of white SUV owned by Orient Pacific Corporation last November 3. Bautista said, he had talked to some bus operators about this plan and said, they are open to this idea.

“Alam mo we had a very good discussion about a possibility of moving the direction of the busway, instead na papuntang North nandito sa right side, it can be on the left side. Alam mo it's a very good idea, although we have asked opinions from the operators, nagusap na kami the other day if they can give us their positions. Although ang initial reaction nila is it's a very good idea,” Bautista explained.

But advocacy group AtlMobility PH Director Ira Cruz said the government needs to address the real problem on EDSA.

”I-address natin yung root cause, ‘yung compliance dapat, kung nararapan na pataasin pa yung penalties sa mga lalabas sa batas, at paigtingin ang enforcement,” Cruz told ABS-CBN News. 

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Transport expert Engr. Rene Santiago, meanwhile also said the DOTr’s plan could result in more head-on collision.  

“It's the wrong solution to the wrong problem. Kung ang problema 'yung intrusion it will not disappear. The worst, it could increase the risk of head-on collision. It was forced,” Santiago explained. 

Meanwhile, DOTr’s Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation (SAICT) said, based on its data, the EDSA busways ridership program have served 51, 722,507 passengers from January 1 to October 31, 2024.