MMDA: Gov’t workers’ adjusted work hours will ease Metro Manila traffic

commuters edsa mrt-3

The glitches have not stopped thousands of commuters from joining long queues such as this that snakes all the way from the curb on Edsa up to the ticket booths on the third floor of the MRT 3 station on North Avenue, Quezon City, just to catch a train to work. —File photo by Jam Sta. Rosa | Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will recommend to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. to place all national government agencies (NGAs) under the adjusted working hours implemented by local government units from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

MMDA Chairman Don Artes said the move could help address heavy traffic and congestion in Metro Manila.

“One of the considerations of our recommendation to the president is to cover the NGAs to help in decongestion because we saw substantial improvements in terms of travel time, not just vehicles, but employees in LGUs that implemented this,” Artes said in Filipino during the Metro Manila Council (MMC) meeting.

In April 2024, the MMC passed a resolution mandating the adjustment of working hours of local government units  from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

MMC is one of the governing bodies and policymakers of the MMDA.

MMDA: Gov’t workers on adjusted work hours to ease Metro traffic | INQToday

The resolution, aimed at improving traffic and commuting conditions, said the traditional 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. working hours of government offices “align with the standard working hours of private companies, thereby contributing to traffic congestion in Metro Manila.”

“It will surely help in terms of public transport. Imagine, there are 500,000 employees. They can avoid joining other commuters. The recommendation has to be finalized before the start of Edsa rehabilitation,” Artes said.

A report by the MMDA during the council meeting showed that an estimated 223,508 government employee commuters who use public transportation would avoid joining rush hour with private sector employees.

It also showed that 37.15 percent of the over 473,500 national government employees in Metro Manila use private vehicles during rush hour.

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