MMDA lifts number coding for 13 days

By: Kristine Felisse Mangunay, Maricar B. Brizuela - 9 years ago

MANILA, Philippines –In line with the celebration of the upcoming holiday season, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced the suspension of the number coding scheme in Metro Manila for 13 days.

The Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP), commonly known was the number coding scheme, will be lifted in the metro from Dec. 23-Jan. 4, according to Cris Saruca, head of the MMDA Traffic Discipline Office during the agency’s weekly radio program.

MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino told members of the media on Friday said that this announcement would be in line with the Christmas and New Year celebration and holidays where many would go home to the provinces resulting in lesser vehicles along metro roads. Tolentino, however, warned the public to expect heavy traffic along roads near bus terminals and airports because people would surely flock there in the days leading to the holiday celebration.

Under the UVVRP, some vehicles are prohibited from plying major roads in the metro from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. depending on the last digit of their vehicle’s license plate.

In Makati City, expect heavy traffic as the local government is lifting its number coding scheme on selected days during the holidays.

According to a post on its local traffic unit’s Twitter account on Saturday, the scheme will be lifted on Dec. 24, 25, 26, 30 and 31.

The number coding will also not be in effect on Jan. 1 and Jan. 2, it said.

The suspension came a day after the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority announced the lifting of the number coding scheme in Metro Manila.

In an interview over radio dzMM on Saturday, Tolentino said the suspension would be in place on Dec. 23.

“That will be until Jan. 4 already, that is kind of long. Although (Dec. 29) is a (regular workday) we already included that (in the days when number coding is suspended),” he said.

Aside from this effort for the holidays, the MMDA has deployed an additional 443 personnel along major streets in Metro Manila especially along Edsa to manage traffic and help motorists avoid delays in their travels.

The agency also designated alternate routes for those going to the malls and the airports as it noted that the traffic volume along metro roads has risen about 15 to 20 percent a month before the holiday season because of shoppers going to the malls and passengers headed to the airports.