(NIÑO JESUS ORBETA / PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER)
MANILA, Philippines — The volume of vehicles in Metro Manila roads is expected to breach the pre-pandemic level by June, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said.
The average number of vehicles in Metro Manila streets before the elections was at 400,000.
“Yan po ay 5,000 short na lang noong pre-pandemic level na 405,000. Pero tandaan pa po natin, wala pa pong pasok,” MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said in a Teleradyo interview on Thursday.
(That is only 5,000 vehicles short of the pre-pandemic level of 405,000. But we must remember, there is still no classes at this time.)
“Kung magkakaroon po ng face-to-face classes ngayong Hunyo, ay i-expect pa natin na mas marami pa, mukhang mabi-breach po yung 405,000 na pre-pandemic level,” he added.
(If we have face-to-face classes by June, we expect that there will be more vehicles, it may breach the 405,000 pre-pandemic level.)
Artes also pointed out that since the pandemic, newly purchased vehicles may have increased to “more of less half a million.”
“So 16 to 17 percent po niyan ang pumapasok sa Metro Manila or nandito po sa Metro Manila, so expect po natin na mas bibigat pa yung daloy ng traffic ngayong Hunyo,” the MMDA official said.
(So 16 to 17 percent of these vehicles will enter or are in Metro Manila, so we can expect a heavier flow of traffic in June.)
To address this, Artes reiterated the MMDA’s proposal to adjust government office working hours in a bid to ease heavy traffic.
In early April, Artes said the MMDA is proposing adjusting government working hours to 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“Meron po kaming meeting next week kay Chairman (Karlo) Nograles ng Civil Service (Commission) para po gawing 7 o’clock ang start ng pasok ng mga kawani sa pamahalaan,” he said.
(We have a meeting next week with Chairman Karlo Nograles of the Civil Service on the proposed proposal toadjust work in government offices to 7am – 4pm.)
Artes also cited a proposal to modifiy the number coding scheme that will ban certain vehicles from public roads during rush hours on two weekdays.