Rick Price and Morissette put a new spin on the classic ballad “Heaven Knows”

MANILA, Philippines –Australian singer-songwriter and producer Rick Price teams up with Filipina pop sensation Morissette on the 2020 version of “Heaven Knows.”

Released on Valentine’s day, the classic ballad is rearranged with a fuller sound and a more contemporary touch. “The original recording of Heaven Knows is basically piano and voice only,” the award-winning Rick Price discloses. “The new version is a duet and has a full band added with lush strings and background vocals. It was such a delight to record and I can’t wait for you to hear it.”

Morissette, on the other hand, gave the previous iteration a different spin with her adept and powerful vocals. The Asia’s Phoenix, who happens to be a Wish 107.5 Hall of Fame awardee, stayed true to the song’s enduring message of romantic longing, while making sure to deliver a transcendent performance. “Working on this track, RP and I kind of agreed that we didn't want to make the verses predictable, but to keep the chorus singable and heartfelt,” the Akin Ka Na Lang songstress shares. “He also allowed me to put my own flavor and twists into the melodies.”

Pairing made in heaven

After working with Asia’s songbird Regine Velasquez on the remake of “Nothing Can Stop Us Now,” Rick Price returns with a lovely duet featuring one of the biggest music stars in the country, Morissette. The collaboration, according to Rick, was indeed monumental not only because it pays tribute to one of the biggest hits of his career, but also gives him a chance to revisit the song with a talented singer who knows how to interpret the material with precise emotional heft. “Thankfully my record label Sony Music was able to put me in touch with Morissette,” the multi-platinum recording star gushes.  “I fell in love with her voice. She made me cry: truly the voice of an angel. Morissette is a wonderfully talented artist and a delight to work with.”

The young diva shares the same sentiment on collaborating with Rick Price. According to Morrisette, “Getting to work with an international music icon such as Rick Price is already such an honor, and with a song that I didn't only grow up to but should continually be passed on through generations. This project inspires and challenges me to appreciate and do different types of music.”

A classic love anthem

“Heaven Knows” was originally released in 1992, and peaked at #6 on ARIA Singles Chart. In the Philippines, the beloved Rick Price anthem became a staple adult contemporary smash with longevity that spans for more than 25 years. Resonating with music fans from opposite sides of the generation spectrum, young and old, the chart-topping tune is perfect for the season of love and romance this month.

Even Rick Price himself has no idea why the song continues to make a mark up to the present day. “It’s hard to say why this song has stayed around for so long. It just seemed to strike a chord with so many people. I imagine almost every human being experiences heart break and loss at some point in their life and it’s comforting to know we are not alone in that process.”

The 2020 version of “Heaven Knows” is available now on Spotify and all music streaming and download platforms worldwide via Sony Music.

Fruitas signs up another fresh endorser

Manila, Philippines - Leading food and beverage kiosk operator, Fruitas Holdings, Inc. (FHI), listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange under the symbol FRUIT, has engaged Hon. Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, mayor of Manila, as its newest endorser.

“The honorable mayor and Fruitas share a lot of common values, including love for country and innovation. From his humble beginnings, he initially made waves in the entertainment industry before transforming himself into a public servant,” FHI President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Lester Yu, said.

Fruitas adds to its slate of endorsers, which includes Sarah Geronimo, Asia’s Popstar Royalty. Her endearing connection with Filipinos and a wider global audience, has recently been confirmed by her hit song, “Tala”, going viral.

Fruitas has established leadership in fruit shakes, coconut-based beverages, lemonades and meat-filled pastries, offered in kiosks in the Philippines and has recently completed a number of acquisitions, including Sabroso Lechon, Heat Stroke Grill, The Tofu Store, and Kuxina. It is targeting to grow its network to 2,000 stores by 2023.

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Fruitas Holdings Inc., listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange under the symbol FRUIT, is the leading group in the food kiosk industry in the Philippines. From a single Fruitas stall opened in 2002, the group ended 2019 with 1,068 stores across the country and over 20 brands in its portfolio, which includes well-loved food concepts Fruitas Fresh from Babot’s Farm, Buko Loco, Buko ni Fruitas, De Original Jamaican Pattie, Johnn Lemon, Juice Avenue, Black Pearl, Friends Fries, The Mango Farm, 7,107 Halo Halo Islands, Shou La Mien Hand Pulled Noodles, and Sabroso Lechon. For more information, visit: http://fruitasholdings.com/.

Get “Comfortable” with H.E.R.’s newest sultry jam

Fresh from reaping various accolades and wrapping up the first part of the sold-out I Used to Know H.E.R. Tour, two-time Grammy winner H.E.R. has recently released a soulful single called “Comfortable.”

Produced by DJ Camper with additional backing vocals from Anthony Clemons, Jr., the latest jam from the Filipina-American R&B star showcases a more stripped-down approach reminiscent of her early releases. The earnestness of her lyrics, paired with the sultry mood of the song, arrives with captivating grace beyond her years—a quality that makes “Comfortable” a standout. 

The newest track from the singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has recently earned positive reviews from music publications. Hypebeast praised its “return to fundamentals,” and went on to acknowledge, “the right amount of modern production cues crescendoing by the song’s end.”

The song is also part of the official soundtrack of The Photograph, starring Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Issa Rae and Lakeith Stanfield.

“Comfortable” follows a handful of tracks released in previous weeks, which includes “Sometimes,” a heartfelt ballad that H.E.R. performed during the 2020 Grammy Awards Ceremony where she was nominated for five major awards, and “Slide,” a chart-topping urban radio hit featuring California-born rapper YG.

H.E.R.’s “Comfortable” is now available on Spotify and other music streaming/download platforms worldwide.

Space-Ta brings a splash of nostalgia and soul with new single “Sa Piling Mo”

After gaining traction in Japan for his viral hit “Merry Christmas From Your Bed,” Filipino multi-genre artist Space-Ta returns with a brand new single released under Locked Down Entertainment.

Aptly titled “Sa Piling Mo,” the romantic track explores a nostalgic but soulful sound informed by Philly soul and gospel music. But the delivery echoes every Pinoy power balladeer’s dream: an image of a non-stop karaoke filled with Basil Valdez and Rico J Puno hits, delivered drunkenly with every bit of passion and intensity.

According to Space-Ta, the song deals with his romantic journey as a time-traveling musician who broke up with his girlfriend in 2032, and ended up meeting someone new in 1989.

Background music is done with Francis De Veyra on bass, Kakoy Legaspi on guitars, Niki Cabardo on keys/organ, Jay Gapasin on drums, & Shinji Tanaka - Sound Engineer. The latest Space-Ta track is recorded at Kodama Studio, Marikina, Metro Manila, Philippines.

“Sa Piling Mo,” is currently serviced on top 40, adult contemporary and alternative radio stations such as Jam 88.3, Barangay LSFM, Win Radio, Energy FM, Star FM and Pinas FM. The song is also making rounds on radio stations outside Metro Manila.

An animated lyric video featuring a woman driving around the streets of Tokyo is now out on Youtube. She is seen blasting Space-Ta’s “Sa Piling Mo” on the car stereo. You can watch the entire clip here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDQgzIZlViI.

Aside from releasing a brand new single in the first quarter of the year, the sci-fi pop character is set to release a series of comic books based on his own adventures as a space and time traveler.

“Sa Piling Mo” is now available (starting February 10) on all streaming and download platforms worldwide, including Spotify, iTunes, Ditto.fm, Youtube Music.

All Eyes on Ben&Ben’s upcoming new single and 2 music videos this month!

Ben&Ben is showing no signs of slowing down. In terms of consistency, the nine-piece outfit continues to break streaming records and dominate cultural conversation with releases that resonate with people from various walks of life.

Last January 2020 alone, the acclaimed folk-pop band won Wish FM’s Group of the Year and Urban Performance of the Year for their chart-topper “Pagtingin.” On top of this milestone, the band is currently at number one on Spotify Philippines Top 50, with their cover of “Make It With You.”

With overwhelming support from music fans and industry peers, there is no doubt that Ben&Ben is simply defining the times that we live in: the band pours their energy in uplifting our fellow countrymen with their brand of accessible but well-crafted music. “It really boils down to the heart behind the song,” Miguel Benjamin, vocalist and guitarist points out. “When a song is written as a vessel to carry a message that is beyond ego or prideful intent, and simply mirrors the feelings, experiences and lessons that come from a higher place, then somehow it may find its way from the artist's soul to at least one other person's heart, and that is always enough. We fully know that it isn't up to us to produce these works out of our own will, but we are simply vessels for some greater message to fulfill itself through us.” Striking a balance between relatability and raw honesty, the band has managed to push things forward with songs that not only capture an emotional spectrum, but also throb at the core moment of one’s personal experience.

To give back to the community responsible for contributing to the group’s unrelenting success, the award-winning ensemble is releasing two new music videos from the best-selling full-length album, Limasawa Street and a brand new single this month, under Sony Music Philippines. “We just really wanted to put out new material that reflects the blissful and bittersweet experiences we've been through over the past few months, both visually and sonically,” Miguel Benjamin stresses. “All these we want to do for our fans, in the hopes that they get through whatever rough patch they are in. It was a spur of the moment decision, really. We felt that we owe it to them, cos they have been pouring out so much love for us in the past few months.”

In the next few weeks, Ben&Ben is set to debut the music videos of their hit songs “Fall” and “Masyado Pang Maaga”—directed by filmmakers Raymond Dacones and Jorel Lising, respectively. According to Miguel, the treatment for “Fall” represents them “as a band and the themes and moods” their art stands for, while “Masyado Pang Maaga,” depicts “a real story that most of us have found ourselves in at one point of our lives.” The talented musician-performer adds, “Both of them aim to paint a visual universe that is uniquely Ben&Ben, with whatever sabaw ideas we've come up with so far.”

As finale for the string of releases this month, Ben&Ben will be dropping the new single “Sa Susunod Na Habangbuhay” very soon. The Sindikato-managed outfit debuted a performance of the highly anticipated tune at the Samsung Awesome Concert last February 5, 2020, which trended on Twitter Philippines for several hours. “We don't want to say much about it yet, but it's our most personal, painful song so far,” says Paolo, the other half of the Benjamin brothers. “Miguel wrote and sung it, and we're playing it in our live shows. We've heard that lots of videos of the live version are going around, and we find that super cool.”

Expect more surprises from Ben&Ben after February’s wave of releases. As Paolo puts it, “everything is outward at this point, and whatever outpour of energy we give out is not because we want the love to be given back, but because ours overflows.”

Keeping a healthy smile all year round: Get into the habit of proper dental Hygiene

As we kick off a brand-new year, we start to list down resolutions to jump start good habits that we wish to form and continue for the rest of the year. They say it only takes 2 weeks to create a habit, so why not start off with the easiest resolution to keep? Building on the habit of a good dental hygiene only takes a few minutes per day. Somehow, this doesn’t get the attention and commitment it deserves. To mindfully get as most of the food and drinks that we consume daily are generally either acidic or into this habit, every household should begin by understanding our natural eating habits, pigmented. Think of oranges, coffee, pasta, ketchup, wine, and so on.sensitivity. More so, acid also promotes bacterial growth, which causes problems. Acid in food and drinks softens the tooth enamel or the outer layer of the tooth.Weakened tooth enamel may lead to dental erosion that makes our teeth prone to ranging from bleeding gums to gingivitis.

So, what can we do about it? Strengthen gums and enamel in 2 weeks.

The latest innovation from Oral-B has 2-in-1 oral care action that directly repairs and protects sore gums and weakened enamel.

The NEW Oral-B Gum & Enamel Repair Toothpaste is clinically proven to protect. Oral-B's Gum and Enamel Repair toothpaste has unique ActivRepair™ technology, Unlike common fluoride toothpastes, Oral-B Gum and Enamel Repair is clinically proven to neutralize bacteria on the gumline, and even keep it away afterwards, too. It also repairs the damage caused to your tooth enamel by everyday wear and tear and continues to protect it afterwards. Not only that, but it also helps do all this in just two weeks.

Neutralization of plaque regrowth, and gum rejuvenation.

Stabilized Stannous Fluoride Complex.

Oral-B pioneered the introduction of Stannous Fluoride in its toothpaste in the 1950s, and with over decades of research, their technology has evolved to now deliver multiple dental care benefits, such as sensitivity repair, elimination of bad breath, cavity protection, enamel erosion protection, oral protection that we need so our gums remain healthy and our teeth stay strong as oral protection that we need so our gums remain healthy and our teeth stay strong as that’s because these days, just having long-lasting fresh breath isn’t enough. Your toothpaste must be hardworking enough to target the root causes of oral care problems, such as bacteria and acid erosion. As it is difficult to prevent ourselves from eating food high in acidity, Oral-B delivers the

we continue to enjoy our day-to-day grind.

Building on the habit of good dental hygiene

Unlike regular toothbrushes in the market, Oral-B’s toothbrushes are made with crisscross. Dental experts recommend brushing your teeth three times a day or after every meal, and visiting a professional for dental cleaning at least twice a year. At home, the right way to brush your teeth and gums is for two minutes long in a soft and circular motion. It’s also important to choose a toothbrush that can do more than just brushing. Unlike bristles that remove 90% more plaque even in hard-to-reach areas. With the rise in sensitive teeth, and gum disease. Oral-B Glide Floss is lightly coated with natural wax popularity of detoxifying properties of charcoal in the health and beauty industries. OralB has harnessed its power and learned to infuse it in their Charcoal White toothbrush to help whiten your teeth in just two weeks!

Aside from brushing your teeth and gums, dental floss is also an essential dental care step to remove plaque from tight spaces between teeth and gums. This prevents both bacteria and plaque buildup from forming, which can potentially lead to cavities, that makes it strong, smoothly gliding, and is perfect for people with sensitive gums. It is also made from a single filament, which means it never shreds, and leaves you with a and make sure teach everyone in the family the value of having healthy teeth and gums! cool and clean feeling afterwards.

Remember, it only takes two weeks to build a habit. So, practice early and practice right.

Nippon Paint recognizes winners of the Asia Young Designer Award (AYDA) Philippines 2019

Officials of Nippon Paint Philippines led by the company President Mark Webb (center) handed the Asia Young Designer Awards (AYDA) Philippines 2019 winners their cash prizes and trophies in a ceremony at PETA Theter Center in Quezon City on January 23, 2020. The gold award for the architecture category was given to John Carlo De Jesus from the Bulacan State University (BulSU) while the Interior Design category top prize was bagged by Abigail Florence Taghoy of University of San Carlos University (USC) Cebu. Both went home with the P50,000 cash prize.

After the fun filled and painstaking process of creating your designs to entry submission, leading into the judges’ deliberating and critiques, the Asia Young Designer Awards (AYDA) Philippines 2019 recognized the winners during the awards ceremonies held at the PETA Theater Center in Quezon City on January 23, 2020.

The gold award with a cash prize worth of P50,000 for the architecture category was given to John Carlo De Jesus from the Bulacan State University (BulSU) while the silver award with a cash prize of P30,000 was awarded to John Harold Siblag of St. Mary's University of Bayumbong.

Meanwhile, for the Interior Design category, Abigail Florence Taghoy of University of San Carlos University (USC) in Cebu bagged the gold award and P50, 000 cash prize while the silver award with a P30,000 prize money went to Clarice Limsui of De La Salle -College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB).

The gold awardees for AYDA 2019 will go to the Asia Young Designer Summit to compete with the best Architecture and Interior Design students in Asia which will be held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in March 2020. The winners will battle for the chance to be included in the Harvard University Graduate School of Design’s Design Discovery Program.

Aside from the major prizes, special awards were also given to other participants during the ceremony. For Architecture, the Best in Color Choice Award went to Christian Adrian Manalo of Batangas State University (BSU). Meanwhile the Best Green Innovation Award was given to John Carlo De Jesus and the People’s Choice Award to Johann Orozco, both from BulSU. Best Mentor in this category was awarded to Ar. Diane Alfonso. Also, Bulacan State University was declared The Best College/University, and The Best Supportive School award for the Architecture category went to the Far Eastern University (FEU).

For the Interior Design category, the Best Color Choice award went to Michael lGarbriel Vazquez of DLS-CSB, while Josette Thai of UP Diliman won the Best Green Innovation Award. The People’s Choice award went to Erika Mari Ordinario of DLS-CSB.

The University of San Carlos Cebu was named The Best Collge/University and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde which was declared the Most Supportive School Dr. Hermie Ray Oplado from The University of San Carlos was awarded Best Mentor for the Interior Design category.

Nippon Paint Philippines President Mark Webb led the awarding ceremonies along with the distinguished panel of judges. Webb affirmed AYDA 2019 was the perfect opportunity to highlight the best young talents of the country and showcase their brilliance to the international arena. He also thanked the mentors and academic partners who patiently guided, motivated and shared their expertise to the students, and for allowing them to join. He added that Nippon Paintis proud to be part of the initiative in elevating the amazing Filipino skills and talent.

AYDA 2019 is a design competition open to Architecture and Interior Design students. The panel of judges is composed of prominent and well-established industry professionals and was supported by the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP), Council of Deans and Heads of Architecture Schools in the Philippines (CODHASP), the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers (PIID), and the Council of Interior Design Educators (CIDE).

Visit www.youngdesigneraward.ph or visit www.nipponpaint.ph for more details and updates.

Eric Chou captures the Filipino audience with “Room For You”

Over the past few years, Taiwanese superstar Eric Chou has achieved mainstream success in major Mandopop markets in the region.

With a string of multi-platinum albums and hit singles that consistently topped streaming charts, the 24-year-old singer-songwriter has been anointed by the Taiwanese media as the “king of lovelorn people”—a title bestowed to the renowned balladeer for his masterful interpretation of emotionally affecting songs.

Despite his popularity as a ballad singer, Chou has recently experimented with EDM and urban music to diversify his catalog. Songs like “Nobody But Me,” “Shutter in Love,” and “Let It Go” showcase a more eclectic foray into pop, R&B and electronic music. These songs were written in English, aimed to capture a new audience outside of Mandopop.

Philippine breakthrough

His latest single “Room For You” has recently entered Spotify Philippines Viral 50 charts at #21. Seamlessly blending his knack for sentimental music with EDM elements and lush production, the Taiwanese pop star’s newest song is another glorious attempt to branch out into other genres and explore fresh contemporary sounds with international appeal.

The laid-back, soulful jam is part of his fourth full-length studio album, Freedom, which was released in December 24, 2019. The album, a mix of upbeat English tunes and mellow Mandopop ballads, contains songs such as “Old Days,” “Something About LA,” “Nobody But Me,” and more. 

Chou’s newest song also ranks on top of the Chinese New Year Spotify playlist curated by Filtr Taiwan, joining the likes of Mandopop heavyweights such as G.E.M., Jolin Tsai, and Joanna Wang.

Eric Chou’s latest single “Room For You” is now available on Spotify and other music streaming/download platforms worldwide.

Gather all your friends for AJ Mitchell’s Manila mall shows!

American pop sensation AJ Mitchell is set to serenade and meet his Filipino fans for an upcoming series of mall tours.

The eighteen-year-old pop singer-songwriter will be performing in select Megaworld Lifestyle Malls, from January 17 to 18, 2020 with the following schedule:

·       01/17/20: Uptown Bonifacio (Friday, 7pm)

·       01/18/20: Venice Grand Canal Mall (Saturday, 3pm)

·       01/18/20: Eastwood City (Saturday, 7pm)

“This will be my first time in the Philippines,” the teen heartthrob reveals in an interview. “I’m so excited to experience the culture and see as much as I can while there. I can’t wait to eat the amazing food and hopefully see some of the beaches as well.”

With Nathan Huang of Nathan & Mercury and featuring Any Name’s Okay as opening act, the American recording artist will perform some fan favorites, including the mid-tempo jam “All My Friends” and the global smash “Slow Dance.”

Getting to know AJ Mitchell

With a slick and show-stopping voice, charismatic personality, and sharp songwriting chops, it’s no surprise that the fast-rising star has already charted three hits on the US top 40 radio chart in a span of less than two years: “Girls,” “All My Friends,” which peaked inside the top 25, and the Ava Max duet “Slow Dance,” now ranked #29 and still climbing.

In terms of streaming, AJ Mitchell has racked up more than 100 million streams and 4.15 million monthly listeners on Spotify, cementing himself as 2019’s most promising male artist.

Outside the US, the Philippines is considered to be one of the biggest music markets of AJ Mitchell, whose latest single “Slow Dance,” a collaboration with hit-maker Ava Max, is currently making waves in local streaming playlists and top 40 radio stations. “I was pleasantly surprised when I first learned this and I’m so excited to finally get to meet some of my Filipino fans,” the young musician/performer opens up about the warm reception on his previous and recent releases.

As for Ava Max, the pop phenom who has shown significant international attention with “Sweet and Psycho,” which topped the charts in 26 countries and landed a top 10 peak at the Billboard Hot 100 last year, the All My Friends singer has always been vocal about admiring her work ethic and talent. “Working with Ava Max was such an incredible experience. After sending her the track, she sent back her verse within hours. Even on the very first take she sounded so amazing that we immediately knew she was the one for the song.”

New album in the works

This year, AJ Mitchell will be releasing his debut full-length album under Sony Music. “This has been a wild ride so far and every day I think of how blessed I have been,” the budding pop personality reflects. “Over the next few years, I have so much more I hope to accomplish. Right now I can’t wait to finally release my first album called Skyview. Beyond that, I hope to have a #1 song, win a Grammy, go out on an international tour, and so much more.”

AJ Mitchell’s latest single “Slow Dance” is now available on all music streaming and download platforms worldwide. 

You can watch the official music video of “Slow Dance” on Youtube, and stream the track in its entirety on Spotify. 

A proposed solution to EDSA traffic

House Transportation Committee Chair and Samar 1st District Representative Edgar Mary Sarmiento unveiled the blueprint of his proposed centralized and synchronized bus dispatch system which would turn the EDSA's rowdy and chaotic city buses into a fast, efficient and predictable mass transport system.

Sarmiento, a civil engineer, disclosed the full details of his proposal after announcing that his panel is closely working with the Department of Transportation (DoTr) to craft a roadmap which would solve EDSA's traffic problem.

In his proposal, Sarmiento said that the innermost lane of EDSA will serve as an "express bus lane" which can be accessed through stations used by the MRT. Like a carousel, the "express bus lane" will just circle around EDSA, duplicating the route of the MRT.

"People who use the MRT can now have the option to ride the bus which will be also operated like carousel. The buses will only load and unload passengers in a synchronized manner at the MRT stations so they are basically an extension of the MRT. Walang magiging traffic dyan because the entire inner lane from Taft Avenue to North Avenue and vice-versa will be enclosed and exclusive to the express bus lane ," Sarmiento said.

Sarmiento said that the three lanes in the middle of EDSA will be dedicated for all types of private vehicles subject to the existing vehicle reduction programs like the number coding scheme. Private cars will be only allowed to use the outer lane when turning into an intersection.

The outer lane of EDSA or the yellow lane will be used as a dedicated city bus lane which will also adopt a centralized and synchronized dispatch system. Dedicated bus stops will be established one kilometer apart. Loading and unloading of passengers will be strictly implemented on these bus stops.

Sarmiento said that while the express bus lane will cater to passengers who also use the MRT, the city bus lane operation will extend up to the Parañaque Integrated Bus Terminal (PITX) in the south and the Valenzuela Integrated Bus Terminal (VIBT) in the north and vice-versa.

" City buses will now be using the outermost lane in EDSA or the yellow lane. They will be traversing EDSA in a carousel-type system until they reach the proposed north terminal which is the Valenzuela Integrated Bus Terminal. From there, the city buses will now traverse to the south still using the outermost lane until it reaches the proposed south terminal which is the Paranaque Integrated Bus Terminal," Sarmiento said.

"We propose this to eradicate the kanya-kanya system of the buses wherein they compete with each other creating chaos through overtaking, overspeeding, and overstaying. Puno man o hindi, lalarga po ang mga city buses dahil may schedule na po ang biyahe nila at hindi na sila makikipag-agawan ng pasahero dahil hindi na commission-based ang kita kundi sahod na ang matatanggap ng mga drivers at konduktors," Sarmiento added.

Sarmiento said that also part of the proposal is to modernize the fare system using tap or beep card.

"Once everything has been set in theory and generated through computer by the MMDA, it will be presented to the public through a dry run, which will be implemented on a day with the least number of vehicles in the road. We are going to have a computer-generated simulation of this proposal to be led by the MMDA," Sarmiento said to dispel fears that this could end up just like the other failed "experiments" of the MMDA.

Sarmiento clarified however that his proposal can still be subject to improvements and adjustments by the DoTr and the MMDA which is will the frontline implementing agencies.

"Lastly, this proposal is a work in progress. Details will be discussed by the Executives. Ang inyong lingkod, bilang Chairman ng House Committee on Transportation ay willing na magbigay ng suporta sa DOTr kung may mga kailangang polisiya upang maipatupad natin kaagad ang mga planong ito," Sarmiento said.

Sarmiento said that if and when the plan is set into motion, the private vehicles that continue to clog EDSA middle lanes would be reduced eventually "because people would now start riding the bus rather than drive their car in what is described as one of the world's biggest parking lot."

"With this system, if the trains and buses will be fully operational, and the commuting public is now effectively and efficiently being moved, that’s the time that we can reduce the volume of private vehicles in EDSA and the major thoroughfares in Metro Manila," Sarmiento said.

" Once the volume of vehicles were reduced, that’s the time that we can introduce major infrastructures in EDSA and other major thoroughfares," he added. END

Link to Rep. Sarmiento’s profile > http://www.congress.gov.ph/members/search.php?id=sarmiento-e