THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority yesterday assured the public there will be no “ningas kugon” implementation of the new policy against motorists who continue to defy the exclusive bus lane policy being implemented along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), the metropolis’ prime thoroughfare.
MMDA Chairperson Romando Artes said the agency has deployed its Special Operations Group-Strike Force headed by MMDA Assistant General Manager for Operations David Angelo Vargas to back up traffic enforcers normally deployed along the busy thoroughfare.
Roughly translated, “ningas kugon” means enthusiastic at first only to fizzle out.
“We will be consistent in the implementation of the EDSA Bus Lane Policy and the apprehension of erring motorists who continue to violate the policy,” Artes said.
“Since we started the campaign last November 13, a total of 1,881 motorists were issued traffic citation tickets for violating the policy,” he added.
Artes said 1,174 were motorcycle riders while the 707 others were drivers of four-wheeled drive vehicles.
Artes also reiterated that under the guidelines provided by the Department of Transportation, only authorized public utility buses, ambulances, fire trucks, police vehicles, and service vehicles for the EDSA busway projects such as those providing security, construction and maintenance services are allowed to use the bus lane.
But he added the EDSA bus lane can also be used by vehicles carrying the President, Vice President, Senate President Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Chief Justice.
“Unauthorized vehicles, including government marked vehicles and red plates vehicles, are strictly prohibited from using the EDSA Busway,” he said.
Under MMDA Regulation 23-002, motorists who violate the Edsa bus lane policy will be meted a P5,000 fine for the first offense, P10,000 for the second offense plus one month suspension of the driver’s license and a road safety seminar, while a fine of P20,000, and a one-year suspension of driver’s license will be imposed on those violating the policy for the third time.
For the fourth offense, the agency said a P30,000 fine will be imposed and a recommendation will be made to the Land Transportation Office to revoke the driver’s license of the erring motorist.