A RESOLUTION was filed at the Lower House to investigate the controversial “window hour” scheme for provincial buses that brought confusion and inconvenience to thousands of passengers.
House Resolution 2562 tasks the House Committee on Transportation to undertake an investigation “in aid of legislation” about the issue.
The resolution mentions that on April 20, 2022, several commuters got stranded for several hours at bus terminals along EDSA-Cubao because of waiting for provincial buses. Similar situations were also noted in Pampanga wherein passengers for hours waiting for buses going to Metro Manila.
The delay and hassle to commuters happened after the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) implemented the “window hour” scheme for provincial buses going to Manila where they are allowed to use their respective bus terminals in the National Capital Region (NCR) between the hours of 10 pm up to 5 am only.
It said the “window hour” scheme was implemented without sufficient advise that brought misery and dismay to stranded passengers, aside from additional expenses.
In the end, the MMDA and the Land Transportation Franchising ang Regulatory Board (LTFRB) blamed each other, and the provincial bus operators were also blamed for the fiasco.
The resolution reiterates that Congress, being representatives of the people, have the duty to ensure that the government’s guidelines will benefit the people’s interests, especially that society is still under an existing COVID-19 pandemic.