Lopez wants more PUVs in MM, queue control
he Department of Transportation has emphasized the need to increase the number of public utility vehicles in Metro Manila, especially during rush hour, after its top officials experienced firsthand the ordeals of commuting on public transport.
Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez admitted he only fully understood the hardships of daily commuters after experiencing public transport himself on September 15.
“It’s tough. Every day feels like a battlefield for our passengers. But you have to admire the resiliency of the Filipino,” Lopez said in Filipino during his interview at DOTr Sakay na Radio Pilipinas.
He stressed that commuters deserve immediate remedies such as better queue management, stricter discipline at stations, more traffic enforcers and Coast Guard personnel, and an increased supply of buses, jeepneys, and modernized vehicles.
Meanwhile, several officials of the DOTr commuted on Wednesday, September 17, following the Lopez directive to observe the situation of commuters as well as conditions in public transport vehicles and trains.
This was in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order to understand the daily experiences of commuters during their travels, the DOTr said in a statement on September 17.
At 5:30 a.m., Assistant Secretary for Road and Non-Infrastructure Dioscoro Reyes began his trip from Fairview, Quezon City. He took a modern jeepney to Quezon Avenue, transferred to the MRT-3, and got off at the Santolan-Annapolis Station before walking to the DOTr office.
Meanwhile, at 6:30 a.m., undersecretary for railways Timothy John Batan and assistant secretary Eduardo Danilo Macabulos boarded a modern jeepney bound for Shaw Boulevard, then transferred to the MRT-3 heading to Santolan-Annapolis. From there, they walked to the office.
Undersecretary for Road Transport and Non-Infrastructure Ramon Reyes took a different route at 7:30 a.m.
The purpose of the officials’ commute was to find ways to assist commuters better and speed up travel.
In addition, Land Transportation Office Chief and Assistant Secretary Vigor D. Mendoza II shared his firsthand experience of the daily struggles faced by commuters during rush hour. He noted how the long travel times burden ordinary passengers and pointed out the difficulties in connectivity between different modes of transportation.
By commuting himself, Mendoza stressed the need to improve the public transport system to ensure smoother, faster, and more efficient mobility. His experience highlights the urgent call for solutions that prioritize the comfort and convenience of every Filipino commuter.
In related development, DOTr announced that the additional stop for the EDSA busway would complement the existing southbound operations, giving passengers more convenient options for travel.
“We are testing a new Northbound stop at the SM Mall of Asia Busway station to complement the existing Southbound operations.” DOTr said.
To prepare for this development, a traffic adjustment dry run will be conducted from September 22, 2025 (Monday) at 12:01 a.m. until September 30, 2025 (Tuesday) at 11:59 p.m. The full implementation is scheduled to begin on October 1, 2025 (Wednesday).
During the dry run, passengers are reminded to use only the designated loading and unloading zones. At the same time, busway drivers are instructed to follow lane assignments strictly to maintain order and safety.
The DOTr expressed gratitude to motorists and commuters for their cooperation, assuring the public that these improvements are part of ongoing efforts to make the EDSA Busway experience smoother, faster, and more commuter-friendly.
