EDSA TRAFFIC / Motorists experience bumper-to-bumper traffic along EDSA-Nepa Q-Mart in Quezon city on Wednesday, June 14 2023. (INQUIRER file photo / NINO JESUS ORBETA)
MANILA, Philippines — Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will not scrap the window hours for the number coding scheme, so long as the traffic flow of vehicles in major highways in Metro Manila stays manageable.
“Hangga’t hindi kailangan, hindi aalisin (we will not remove it, as long as it is not necessary),” said MMDA acting chair Don Artes in a press conference on Wednesday.
“Hangga’t kaya namin i-manage ‘yung traffic, at hindi naman tumutukod na nagiging parking lot ‘yung mga major thoroughfares natin, hindi namin aalisin ‘yung window hours,” he explained.
(As long as we can manage the traffic and major thoroughfares do not turn into parking lots, we will not remove the window hours.)
But Artes said MMDA is closely monitoring the upcoming two weeks, specifically, the weekend on December 15 to 16.
The two days mark the last payday weekend before Christmas.
MMDA will also watch out for December 22 to 23 where many travelers are expected to go back to their provinces.
“Paalalahanan na lang po namin ang mga kababayan na planuhing mabuti ang biyahe, dahil we expect an influx ng mga sasakyan ngayong weekend,” said Artes.
(We would like to remind our fellow citizens to plan their trips carefully, as we anticipate an influx of vehicles this weekend.)
“‘Yung ating traffic management plan ay nakalatag naman, so susundin naman ‘yan ng ating enforcers dahil 100 percent duty sila ngayong kapaskuhan,’ he noted.
(Our traffic management plan is already in place, and our enforcers will adhere to it because they are on 100 percent duty this Christmas season.)
“‘No leave, no absent policy’ tayo ngayon,” he pointed out.
(“No leave, no absent” policy in effect.)
Asked if the window hours may end up being lifted in the upcoming weeks due to these expected scenarios, Artes responded that such a possibility is “very slim.”