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MANILA - Claims that a transport crisis exists in Metro Manila are "exaggerated," an official of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said on Sunday.

"Kung sabihin natin na transport crisis, it’s not yet in that level na sabihin nating transport crisis just because nag-bog down yung LRT-2," EDSA Special Traffic and Transport Zone chief Bong Nebrija told radio DZMM.

"It’s unfair to say that, lalong lalo na yung administration na 'to has been very aggressive in investing in infrastructure at improvement ng ating transportation."

The traffic czar cited projects such as the MRT-7, which the transportation department earlier said was almost halfway complete, the common station for all Metro Manila railways, and the bus rapid transit system, among others.

The LRT-2 shutdown came in the same week that Metro Manila's 2 other railways, the LRT-1 and MRT-3, experienced operational disruptions due to glitches.

"It doesn’t come over time, talagang magsasakripisyo tayo na hihintayin natin itong mga proyekto na itong matapos," he said.

"At this time na malapit nang matapos ang mga ito, sasabihin nating may transport crisis, I think it is exaggerated in a sense na gumagana naman po lahat ng trains natin."

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo earlier disagreed that there was a transport crisis in Metro Manila, describing it instead as a "traffic crisis."

• After long commute, Panelo insists no transport crisis, just 'traffic crisis'

Nebrija, meantime, said he has "never sugarcoated" the traffic situation on EDSA, which he described as "overflowing" as it had exceeded its capacity of 268,000 vehicles. As of August, some 405,000 cars were plying the metro's main thoroughfare, he said.

"What I’m happy about is that marami na pong nakaka-recognize na yun ang problema," he said.

Nebrija, however, assured the public that the government is doing its best to address the issue.

He earlier said lawmakers have enjoined bus companies to form a consortium that will have a single dispatch system that can control the number of buses on EDSA.

• Bus consortium sought to ease EDSA traffic