Was the EDSA driver-only scheme effective?

Yesterday was the first day motorists got to experience the high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane policy banning driver-only private vehicles along EDSA. Before the start of implementation, this drastic move was already met with criticism. MMDA, however, still pushed for it, encouraging the public to be “more open” about the idea and promising that it would be discontinued if proven ineffective.

Judging from yesterday’s turn out, MMDA still has a long way to go to get the public on-board the new policy. The first day of the week-long dry run already saw over 3,000 caught violating of the scheme (since it was a dry-run, they were merely reprimanded as opposed to paying the supposed P1,000 fine). Moreover, before the day ended, senators filed a resolution to put a halt on the new scheme, citing the lack of public consultation prior to the implementation. It said, “The implementation of a regulation that would allegedly affect 70 percent of the road-users tax-paying motorists plying the Philippines’ major thoroughfare without holding a prior public consultation or hearing is violative of the due process of laws enshrined and protected under the Constitution.”

We tried to see if it was in any way effective by turning to the people most concerned, and finding out what they have to say.