Yes, Mr Fernando, EDSA has a speed limit of 30 to 40 kph – LTO chief

MANILA, Philippines – Did you know that the 24-kilometer-long EDSA has a speed limit of just 40 kilometers per hour (kph) for cars and motorcycles and 30 kph for trucks and buses? Well, it does, according to Land Transportation Office (LTO) Assistant Secretary Alberto Suansing, who stressed the fact on Monday in reaction to Chairman Bayani Fernando of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). Last week, Fernando told lawmakers at the House budgetary hearing for the MMDA's proposed P1.07 billion budget for 2009 that EDSA has no speed limit and that motorists can go more than 60 kilometer per hour. On Monday, Suansing said in an inteview that Fernando's claim has no basis, citing Republic Act 4136 In an interview, Suansing stressed that Fernando's claim has no basis, citing Republic Act 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code. That law states that major thoroughfares in Metro Manila, including EDSA, should be only 40 kph for cars and motorcycles while trucks and passenger buses have a speed limit of 30 kph. For roads outside Metro Manila, the limit is 80 kph for cars and motorcycles and 30 kph for trucks and buses, while on town roads they can travel only at 30 kilometers both for cars, motorcycles, trucks, and buses. "There is a speed limit. Medyo nakakalimutan lang ata sa implementation [There's a speed limit. It's just that implementation is somewhat being forgotten]," Suansing said. He added that most of the metropolis's main thoroughfares has no speed limit sign for motorists to follow. Overspeeding is punishable by a fine if up to P500 and erring motorists are also required to undergo a traffic seminar. The MMDA made the statement that EDSA had no speed limit is in response to a question of Deputy Minority Leader Roilo Golez that a 60-kph regulation should be observed along EDSA. At the same hearing, Golez also moved to defer the hearing on the MMDA's proposed P1.7-billion budget for 2009, saying he was willing to "withdraw" his motion if he gets an assurance that Fernando was just joking, to which the latter replied he was not. On Sunday, Fernando said that implementing the speed limit on Edsa is useless because of the large volume of vehicles, and the lack of radars to monitor car speeds. Fernando said it is even unlikely for most motorists to reach, much less surpass, the speed limit since Edsa is often busy and crowded with buses and other vehicles. Motorists say the speed limit is virtually useless to be implemented especially during weekdays when millions of vehicles plied EDSA adding that the best time it can be implemented is during weekends when there is less vehicle on the road. - GMANews.TV