00:00 And before we continue with the arrest of motorcycle riders who pass through bike lanes, we will talk to MMDA Chairman Romando Artes.
00:08 Chairman good morning.
00:09 Good morning Ivan and to all of you.
00:13 Chair, we would like to ask for an update on those you arrested. Have you detected any motorcycle riders passing through the bike lanes?
00:21 Actually, we will just be arrested and we will be taken to the bike lane. Those who insist on passing through will be the last ones we will arrest and arrest.
00:34 Okay. Let's be clear Chairman. Those who are in the bike lanes 24/7, absolutely motorcycle riders cannot pass through those.
00:42 Or if the traffic is a bit loose or on certain hours of the day, they can pass through those.
00:49 Our problem is that it is an existing policy. There is a traffic regulation that those bicycle lanes are exclusive to bicycles only.
01:02 Motorcycle riders cannot pass through those. That has been a policy for a long time.
01:07 I repeat, that is not new. Three years ago, that was implemented. We will be strict because we have received a lot of complaints from our bicycle groups
01:23 that are saying why we are allowing motorcycles to pass through those, considering that it should be only for them.
01:33 Although, I can say that we are not taking advantage of motorcyclists. In fact, I've been studying for a month if it can be a shared lane between bicycles and motorcycles.
01:49 In fact, we started recommending in San Juan City, that you should build a bollard on Ortigas Avenue.
01:57 Because of our studies, it is a closed and better shared road, the bicycle lane there.
02:08 That's what we are doing in EDSA. Although there are challenges there, like 120,000 motorcycles passing through EDSA.
02:18 Can we accommodate that many motorcycles in the bicycle lane?
02:23 The challenges is, if it's exclusive and they are all there and they cannot pass through, what if there are underpass or toll highway,
02:34 will they pass through the side road, in which case, they will stop at stoplights.
02:42 We are studying those challenges.
02:47 So for now, you are still in a sit-up. You're not yet in a sit-up and you don't have a fine?
02:51 Yes. We're not yet in a sit-up.
02:53 When will we start the sit-up and fine?
02:59 Maybe until we don't fix the police regarding what we will consult with the stakeholders.
03:09 But at the end of the day, we will just recommend because it's a DOTR project.
03:15 They will decide whether the recommendation of MMDA is correct.
03:20 We talked to some riders and they are increasing the fine to P1,000.
03:25 Is it possible to revise that?
03:27 Well, they will not increase the fine if they will not violate.
03:34 That's the problem. We know that there are penalties to be prohibited.
03:41 Otherwise, if we lower the fine, everyone will say that we will just pay the penalty.
03:48 For example, one of the riders in Melasal Green Hills, he's willing to pay P2,000. Imagine, he was left in the middle of the road.
03:57 He just asked for a ticket to bring his student inside.
04:03 We are avoiding those things.
04:08 That's why we are complaining to the LTO to remove that driver's license.
04:14 Okay. For the bicycle groups and individual cyclists who use bike lanes,
04:21 what else is MMDA doing to protect the safety of bicycles on the road?
04:27 First of all, we are enforcing the exclusivity of bike lanes.
04:34 But we are studying a long-term solution.
04:37 Elevating the walkway and bicycle lane in EDSA, we are studying that.
04:45 We are doing feasibility study and detailed engineering design.
04:50 There are challenges because it is a positive thing.
04:54 We will put that on the sidewalk.
04:57 There are many utilities that are being seen.
05:01 Even if the MRT stations are on the side, we will be in their way.
05:10 Although I discussed that with Secretary Jimmy Bautista and he is amenable to let the pedestrians and bicycles pass through the stations.
05:21 We need to address those challenges before we fund and implement that project.
05:31 Chairman Artes, thank you very much for your time. Good morning to you.
05:34 Good morning.
05:35 We talked to MMDA Chairman Romando Artes.
05:39 [News broadcast]
