MANILA, Philippines – The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will implement a modified number coding scheme starting next week, its general manager said on Monday.
MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said vehicles carrying more than one passenger will be exempted from the number coding rule under the modified guidelines to maximize the capacity of the said vehicle.
“It will be (out) on June 8. Dapat June 1 na yan. Problem is, there’s a process. You have to publish it first in newspapers because it’s new guidelines. Maglabas kami ng modified number coding. Remember, before the COVID, basta coding ka, hindi mo talaga pwedeng talagang pwedeng gamitin yan, kailangan nakaparada lang yan. Now, we’re giving incentive na ‘O sige, sayang naman dahil konti ang public transportation natin, pag coding ka gamitin, mo pero please, dalawa kayo.’ Why? We need to maximize all vehicles coming out,” Garcia said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel.
(“It will be (out) on June 8. It should’ve been out on June 1. Problem is, there’s a process. You have to publish it first in newspapers because these are new guidelines. We will come out with a modified number coding. Remember, before COVID, if your car is covered by the coding, you really cannot use it. Now, we’re giving incentive that ‘Okay, since public transportation is limited, you can use your car even if it’s covered by the number coding, but please, there should be two persons inside.’ Why? We need to maximize the vehicles coming out).
“We have data, 70 percent (ng vehicles) mag-isa lang e. So if ever coding ka, sige gamitin mo na, kaya lang i-maximize natin. Better than not using that coding car, just like before. Of course, there’s always exemptions. There’s no such thing as absolute. Pag ‘yan ay emergency, a matter of life and death, for medical frontliners, okay yan,” he added.
Garcia noted that MMDA’s modified number coding scheme will be similar to that of Makati City’s, which is already being implemented.
“May coding ang Makati, ang exempted sa coding yung may dalawang sakay. I think this is a very good idea…Ang in-eecurage natin dito, hindi yung magsakay ka ng kahit sino, ine-ecourage natin kung officemate mo yan or anak mo or wife mo,” the MMDA official said.
(There’s coding in Makati, but those with two inside the car are exempted. I think this is a very good idea…What we are encouraging is not to offer a ride to a stranger but what we are encouraging is offering a ride to an officemate or your kid or wife).
The number coding scheme has been suspended since March 13 after President Rodrigo Duterte placed Metro Manila under a enhanced community quarantine status in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Metro Manila has been placed under a less stringent general community quarantine (GCQ) starting Monday (June 1), where various mass public transportation systems will be allowed to resume operations with significantly reduced passenger capacities.