The
Interagency Council on Traffic (I-ACT) has moved up to next Monday, Oct. 17, the implementation of
the no window hours policy of the number coding scheme, and expanded its coverage to include
Mandaluyong City and two more major roads in the capital.

Metropolitan Manila Development
Authority (MMDA) general manager Tim Orbos said on Monday that I-ACT has decided to implement
the no window hours policy (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) two weeks ahead of schedule because of the
“immediate need” to reduce the volume of vehicles plying the capital’s major roads.

Apart
from Edsa and C5 Road, Orbos said that the policy will now cover Alabang-Zapote Road and Roxas
Boulevard, upon the request of Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi and Pasay Mayor Antonino Calixto,
respectively. He added that Mandaluyong City also decided to join Makati City and Las Piñas City,
which currently implement a no window hours policy.

MMDA traffic engineering head Neomie
Recio said that historically the volume of traffic in metro roads increase by as much as 15 percent
during the holidays. The new policy, she said, is expected to reduce vehicular volume by 20 percent.

While this may appear to be a breakeven situation for the capital, she said that traffic may
get worse if nothing is done.

Orbos said that a dry run of the traffic measure is set from
Wednesday to Friday. He noted that those who will be apprehended during the dry run will not be
issued traffic violation tickets. JE

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