MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE 7) Transport groups called off their Metro Manila-wide strike Tuesday noon after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued an executive order calling for the suspension of local government laws on traffic ordinances.

At the height of the strike, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said up to 90 percent of the National Capital Region?s commuting public was affected, leaving thousands of office workers, students and residents stranded.

Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers' Association of the Philippines (Fejodap) officers and Pasang Masda president Obet Martin announced the end of the strike after EO 712 was signed by the President earlier on Tuesday.

Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza presented Arroyo?s order at a meeting in Quezon City.

The EO orders a review of present traffic ordinances.

George San Mateo, spokesman of Piston (Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide or United Organizations of Drivers and Operators Nationwide) also said their group was ending the strike.

Earlier in the day, owners, drivers, and operators of jeepneys, buses, taxi cabs, and even tricycles, participated in the transport strike which called on Arroyo to issue an executive order scrapping local ordinances on, among others, multi-ticketing systems and growing traffic violation fines.

Over 2,000 public utility vehicles participated in a transport strike, paralyzing at least 90 percent of commuter traffic in Metro Manila, officials said.

Zeny Maranan, Fejodap president said they had paralyzed at least ?95 percent? of Metro Manila.

Angelito Vergel de Dios, MMDA traffic operations chief, acknowledged this, but said most of the stranded commuters were in Commonwealth in Quezon City.

"This was a successful strike. Unlike previous strikes when the drivers had to block others from taking the road, this time, almost all the drivers took part," he said.

"We can't quantify the business losses from stores closing or tardy workers, but they probably reached millions of pesos," Vergel de Dios added.

"Our 35 units and even the vehicles from Chairman [Tomas] Lantion of LTFRB are not enough to accommodate all the stranded passengers," said De Dios in a phone interview.

Most heavily hit were Commonwealth Avenue, Coastal Road, and even some portions of Edsa despite the continued run of the Metro Rail Transit, De Dios said.

"Almost everyone was affected. On Commonwealth alone, thousands of commuters were seen waiting on the sidewalks for rides," he said.

The scene was replicated almost everywhere else, including Cubao in Quezon City, Alabang in Muntinlupa City, and Blumentritt Road in Manila.

Radio and television reports said about 90% of the jeepneys in Monumento stopped plying their routes.

Buses going to Makati City from Cubao, Quezon City have been stopped by strikers, according to the MMDA.

But the situation along Aurora Boulevard, however, has remained normal, with jeepneys going to Marikina City and those going to Divisoria in the opposite side still plying their routes, according to INQUIRER.net editorial assistant Liza Cana.

The transport strike began at 12 midnight. Aside from Fedjodap, other transport groups who joined the protest were the MJODAP, Piston, and Pasang Masda.

To offset the strike, the MMDA, the railways systems and security forces instituted measures to ease the burden of commuters who may be inconvenienced by the strike.

The MMDA and the Philippine National Police put into effect the ?Libreng Sakay? program to offer free rides to stranded commuters.

MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando has decided to suspend the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP), or number coding scheme.

The vehicle reduction scheme's suspension, however, was not implemented by the Makati government.

The MMDA, which is in charge of traffic operations in the metropolis, has fielded at least 30 vehicles.

The Light Rail Transit Authority fielded 100 of its trains in 3-minute intervals, the report said.

To maintain peace and order, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) went on red alert in the capital at 6 p.m. Monday, a spokesman for the command said.

With the alert raised, the Armed Forces National Capital Region Command (NCRCom) were placed on standby to augment the National NCRPO should it request for reinforcement, said Captain Carlo Ferrer.

PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon said the PNP will deploy trucks, buses and Elf carriers as early as 5 a.m. to assist stranded passengers.

NCRPO spokesman Superintendent Rhodel Sermonia said they would deploy 12 trucks, six from each of the five police districts in Metro Manila, 192 multicabs from the Quezon City Police District, and 28 multicabs from the Manila Police District.

Classes in all levels were not suspended except in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Philippine Christian University, Saint Paul?s University in Quezon City and La Consolacion College of Manila.

Aside from the single-ticketing scheme, otherwise known as the Metro Traffic Ticketing System, the 24-hour strike was also to protest "various fees, fines and penalties being imposed on hapless drivers and operators, the methods used to pressure the drivers to pay up with the said fees and fines, such as the confiscation of drivers license, the removal of motor plates, and the towing away of vehicles,? said George San Mateo of the transport group Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON).

At present, local governments in Metro Manila issue different traffic citation tickets (OVRs) and impose varying fees, sometimes resulting in confusion among motorists.

Earlier, MMDA Chair Bayani Fernando said 12 of Metro Manila?s 17 local governments had approved the single-ticketing scheme.

"The Metro Manila Council [which ratified the system] is a collegial body, so the will of the majority should prevail," Vergel de Dios said.

But Makati City's department of public safety chief, Hermenegildo San Miguel, said Mayor Jejomar Binay would likely oppose the EO.

"There is an existing ordinance, and I don't think any EO can just dismiss that," he said.

He said Makati City was barely affected by the strike, since the transport operators based in the city opted not to join it.

"We're 90 percent okay except in some areas," San Miguel said, adding that it was business as usual in practically the whole of the central business district.

He admitted that problems arose in some parts of the city, citing as examples Chino Roces Avenue (Pasong Tamo), JP Rizal Avenue, FTI and Pasay Road, but he said on the whole, commuters did not have such a hard time getting a ride.

San Miguel also admitted that commuters coming from other cities experienced trouble reaching the city.