Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 3) — The Supreme Court dismissed petitions challenging the provincial bus ban on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, Metro Manila’s main road, saying the issue should have been brought to lower courts.
In a December 3 resolution released Friday, the high court stressed that questions surrounding the highly contested policy should be tried before the Court of Appeals or the proper trial court.
There were three petitions against orders of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority prohibiting provincial buses on EDSA and revoking the business permits of all provincial bus terminals along the busy thoroughfare.
The Quezon City Regional Trial Court in August 2019 granted the petition of a number of bus companies for a writ of preliminary injunction on the scheme. This court order effectively stopped the long-delayed ban.
The MMDA pushed through with a voluntary dry run days after, but failed to hit their target of 1,000 buses participating in the trial.
Under the proposal, buses from northern Luzon should drop off all passengers at a terminal in Valenzuela City, while commuters from the south will have to alight at a terminal in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, or in Parañaque City. From there, they will have to take a different bus or car to reach Manila.
Commuters and lawmakers have widely opposed the scheme.
