The Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (I-ACT) has seen a reduction in private vehicles taking the Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) busway following its crackdown against violators.

In a Laging Handa briefing on Monday, I-ACT Chief Charlie Del Rosario said around 100 motorists were apprehended by I-ACT enforcers per day on average in the past few days, compared to around 400 apprehensions per day when the crackdown began.

“[Sila] ay puwedeng pagmultahin ng aabot ng isang libo. Ang mga nahuling ito ay na-submit na rin natin sa Land Transportation Office (LTO) para ma-impose iyong kaukulang multa (They can be fined up to PHP1,000. And these apprehended individuals are reported to the LTO where they can settle their fine),” Del Rosario said.

Aside from receiving a fine, he said violators earn “points” in the LTO’s system, barring them from getting a 10-year driver’s license when they renew and those who reach 40 points can even have their license suspended.

He noted that many are apprehended even when light traffic is in EDSA’s private lanes.

“Sa totoo, wala namang trapik. Hindi lang natin malaman kung bakit nagpipilit silang dumaan diyan (Truth be told, there’s no traffic. We don’t understand why they keep taking the EDSA busway),” he said.

Aside from the around 550 public utility buses that have been authorized to travel along the EDSA busway, he emphasized that only government emergency vehicles are allowed to take the said lanes.

He called on the motoring public to follow traffic laws and highlighted that several government units join the I-ACT in enforcing these rules such as the LTO, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), local government units, and the Philippine National Police (PNP). (PNA)