It’s a busy first day for the new Department of Transportation (DOTr) secretary Vince Dizon. In his first press conference, the new transport head shared several new plans for the agency moving forward.
Dizon also clarified that he isn’t against the EDSA Busway, and says that it is something we need. He also said that he has already spoken to Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) acting chairman Atty. Don Artes, who was supposedly “misquoted” recently when he said the Busway should be removed. Dizon said the Busway is far from perfect, so he plans to work closely with the MMDA and the Department of Public Works and Highways to find solutions to make it more efficient.
In the same briefing with the press, Dizon went on to say that he is all for privatizing the EDSA Busway. “I absolutely agree with Secretary Bautista. That is the way to go,” said Dizon.
OTHER STORIES FROM THE DOTR CHIEF’S BRIEFING:
Improve EDSA Busway, other ‘low-hanging fruit’ solutions to traffic first, says new DOTr head
New DOTr chief suspends full implementation of ‘anti-poor’ cashless toll collection
New DOTr head: Build more license plate-making facilities if needed
“These infrastructure projects really need to be operated well,” Dizon added. “Nakita na natin ’yun dito sa ating bansa. May gagawin tayong imprastruktura—airport, train, etcetera—mapapabayaan ’yan. After a few years, mapapabayaan. So I absolutely agree and I really want to thank Secretary Jimmy, number one, for really leading this push to privatize.”
Dizon cited the privatization of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), saying that it “set the tone” moving forward. “I can assure the public that we will—and this is the directive of the President himself—continue to push for PPPs especially in the transport sector,” Dizon added.
How exactly the privatization will go about remains to be seen, and your guess is as good as ours as to how this will affect the operations of the EDSA Busway. But what do you think, commuters? Will privatization help improve the existing EDSA Carousel?
