Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) personnel have returned along EDSA Balintawak to manage traffic near the market where illegal vendors often occupy parts of the road and motorists park their vehicles.

Starting on Thursday morning, motorists are no longer allowed to park near the market and even vendors positioned along the sidewalks were ordered to leave by the HPG so as not to get in the way of pedestrians.

“Igalang naman po natin ang kalsada natin kung ang lugar ay hindi terminal huwag gawin terminal pero yung sa Balintawak authorized and sakay baba huwag yung magtagal para yung ibang mapagbigyan sa lugar na ito,” HPG 300 commander Norberto Babagay said.

The HPG personnel were deployed to assist the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) in traffic management in the area where at least 20 vehicles and several illegal vendors are caught occupying parts of the road daily.

MMDA street sweeper Luz Consing is glad that the HPG is back along Balintawak to discipline motorists.

"Mas mainam naibalik dito sila sa kalsada, dito sa Balintawak. ‘Pag wala ho yung HPG walang disipliina po ang sasakyan,” she said.

Vendor Nina Gulawan is also satisfied with the presence of HPG personnel.

“Okay lang dahil malinis, walang problema sa mga pulis mababait naman sila, ‘tsaka walang traffic okay lang naman yun maganda rin,” she said.

For street vendors, however, the presence of HPG traffic personnel poses a problem to their business.

Fish vendor Dodong Dela Cruz said he used to only worry of low sales but now, because of the HPG, he no longer has a spot to sell goods.

“Natatakot kasi sayang iyung pera, wala naman ibang mahanapan na mabuhay 'tatyaga lang naman, pag sinabi naman iligpit eh iurong naman namin,” he said.

The HPG said it will monitor vehicular traffic along EDSA-Balintawak 24/7.