1-Rider Partylist Rep. Bonifacio Bosita called for stricter enforcement of the EDSA busway restrictions in a radio interview on Friday, stressing that no one not authorized should be allowed to use the lane.
At the same time, he proposed allowing motorcycles to use bicycle lanes on certain hours of the day.
Bosita, a retired police officer and a motorcycle rights activist, emphasized the importance of the authorities leading by example. He criticized public officials who have been using the EDSA busway for “emergency reasons,” insisting that no one should be exempt from the rules.
“If the authorities do not have the discipline to follow or respect the law, then we should not expect our motorists to follow the rules,” he said.
While Bosita took a firm stance on EDSA busway restrictions, he adopted a more flexible view of Metro Manila’s traffic issues. He proposed opening the bicycle lanes to motorcycles during certain hours, saying the lanes were underused by cyclists.
“We should have window hours for bikers. We should allocate the bulk of the time to motorcycle riders,” Bosita suggested.
Bosita’s mixed approach — pushing for stricter adherence to transport rules in some cases while supporting adjustments to policy in others — appeared to be contradictory.
As a motorcycle rights advocate, Bosita has long championed policies that benefit riders, citing safety and convenience concerns. He has also criticized the process of issuing driver’s licenses, calling it corrupt and incompetent.
“As long as you have money, even if you don’t know anything, you’ll get a [driver’s] license,” he said, blaming the system for the rise in reckless or “kamote” riders.
In addition to traffic reforms, Bosita suggested adjusting the work hours of government agencies as a solution to Metro Manila’s congestion, though he didn’t offer details on how this would be implemented.
Bosita, who gained national attention for his 2021 confrontation with MMDA enforcers over a traffic violation, is running for a Senate seat in the May elections. His mixed stance on transport policy is likely to attract scrutiny as he campaigns for a higher office.