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'It’s not the first time that the government messed with our heads about EDSA'

Did you see last Sunday’s images of the First Family riding the MRT? In a brief immersion, they turned into mortals and tried a ticket promo that allows one commuter to bring three companions for free rides (in short, libre pa). 

Don’t get me wrong. We’re all for seeing the Marcoses on their dress-down days, or the transport secretary in an EDSA walk — covered live. All gestures and gimmicks are welcome, whatever it takes to send the strongest signal that the much-needed surgery for Metro Manila’s calcified transport artery is happening soon. After all, not even strongman Rodrigo Duterte could fix one of the world’s most congested highways, conceding once that he had managed to realize all his promises and threats except easing EDSA traffic.

And so early this year, the Marcos administration set out to begin the ambitious plan to rehabilitate EDSA where, by 2027, it could finally accommodate, without the familiar potholes, high-capacity trains, pedestrian walkways, rapid bus lanes, motorbikes and bicycles. (There’s an incentive to ramp it up: Manila is hosting the ASEAN Summit next year.)

The government announced that work would begin in March. Then it moved this to April. Then it got pushed to May, after the May 12 midterm polls, they said. Hmmm. No, it’s going to finally begin in June. On June 13, to be exact.

This, of course, sparked fears of hellish traffic. The first phase of the rehab, in Pasay City, would require rerouting the hundreds of thousands of commuters who ply EDSA every day. Thus the following orders were issued in succession last week:

• An odd-even coding scheme that was set to begin on June 16. This triggered household anxiety. We mapped these alternative routes.
• As Filipino as one can get, exemptions to the scheme were immediately listed. Check them here.
• Riders of motorbikes and bicycles will share a lane.

We braced for the worst in hopes it would be for the best.

But on Sunday, June 1, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. changed his mind and suspended the rehabilitation plan for reasons that, frankly, are vague and facetious. He said he told his team to “give it another month.” What could have been brought to his attention that wasn’t raised in the prior meetings that led to the planned rollout in June? 

It’s not the first time that the government messed with our heads about EDSA. Just a couple of months ago, two departments announced they were scrapping the bus carousel on the highway. But the transportation department later insisted it won’t be removed. Can buses save us from gridlock? Iya Gozum shows us how it could work.

Beyond our daily commutes, the hemming and hawing about a national concern continues. Last week, the President repeated that he never wanted his vice president impeached in the first place. But she’s been impeached already, and the Senate has, in fact, scheduled the presentation of the Articles of Impeachment on June 2. But wait. Like the EDSA rehab, this has been reset — though this one has a reset date: June 11, the last session day of the 19th Congress. 

• The rumor, said congresswoman-elect Leila de Lima, is that the Articles would be “dead on arrival” in the Senate. 
• Dwight de Leon takes us through the schools of thought on whether the Articles could carry through the next Congress.
• Will the trial push through? Bonz Magsambol tells us where we are.

Thankfully, the weekend passed with us celebrating the new record breakers in the annual Palarong Pambansa, which came to a close on Saturday, May 31, in Ilocos Norte. Next year’s host will be Agusan del Sur. Below are some highlights:

• The National Capital Region continued to dominate the games, earning its 18th straight overall Palaro title.
• Central Visayas’ Jhul Ian Cañalita shattered Palaro records.
• Hidilyn Diaz’s nephew rules the weightlifting demo sport.
• See the final medal tally and check all the Palaro stories here.

Here are some of Rappler’s bests that you shouldn’t miss:

Tonyo Cruz exposes the “material misrepresentation” committed by the Duterte 

Youth party list that was disqualified by the Commission on Elections.

Inday Espina-Varona chides congressman-elect Albee Benitez’s handling of a bitter dispute with his wife and poses a challenge to President Marcos, who is rumored to be eyeing him to be the next Speaker.

Jairo Bolledo tells us the story behind the two-year operation to bring Arnie Teves back home.

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– Rappler.com

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