The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) recorded more than 200 road accidents in Metro Manila Tuesday that caused monster traffic jams and left thousands of commuters stranded.
“Over 200 plus accidents were recorded in the entire Metro Manila. Even in areas where it isn’t traffic, if an accident happens, there will be a chain reaction. All of the streets will be affected,” MMDA Assistant General Manager Jojo Garcia told DZMM, an ABS-CBN News radio affiliate.
“This is why our PUVs took a while to complete their routes and were delayed from picking up passengers,” he added.
Garcia said he himself took 2 hours to get to Quezon City Circle from Roxas Boulevard, a distance of 21km. that typically takes an hour to travel.
Along the way, Garcia said he saw commuters occupying several lanes of the road in the Quiapo area as they scrambled to hail rides.
Garcia admitted that MMDA’s thin manpower aggravated the situation. Some 600 traffic enforcers, he said, were taken off the roads to help secure a meeting of Southeast Asian ministers.
The MMDA official urged commuters to stay on sidewalks while waiting for PUVs.
The Inter-agency Council for Traffic meanwhile will look into expediting road projects in order to ease the crippling traffic, Garcia said.
