Edsa underpasses opened to provincial buses

MANILA, Philippines—Starting Tuesday next week up to Jan. 4 next year, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will allow provincial buses passing through Edsa to use underpasses—but based on a number coding scheme Mondays to Saturdays.

This is to help ease the daily traffic jams that are expected to get worse in the holiday season, MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino said Thursday.

The provincial buses will be allowed to use the underpasses on Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City and P. Tuazon and Aurora which are both in Quezon City.

Those with license plate numbers ending in 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 may pass on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; while those ending in 2, 4, 6, 8 and 0 may pass on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

According to MMDA Traffic Engineering head Neomie Recio, provincial buses account for 22 percent or 3,300 out of the 15,000 buses plying Edsa daily.