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The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority is not yet implementing any changes to the number coding scheme
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The policy removing the coding “window hours” on EDSA and select roads–under MMDA Regulation No. 23-003–is on hold
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The current Unified Vehicle Volume Reduction Program, also commonly known as number coding, remains in place from 7 am to 10 am and 5 pm to 8 pm on weekdays, except holidays
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is not yet implementing any changes to the number coding scheme, according to MMDA chairman Don Artes.
The policy removing coding “window hours” on EDSA and select roads under MMDA Regulation No. 23-003, is on hold, he said. The regulation, meant to ease the expected holiday traffic, was published in a newspaper on October 21 and had caused confusion.
San Juan City mayor Francis Zamora, who is also the chairman of the Metro Manila Council (MMC), on October 25 had said the council was still looking for the right time to implement MMDA Regulation 23-003.
Artes admitted the mistake and pointed to an unnamed staff as having made the error of publishing the regulation right after it was approved by the mayors.
He said the MMDA will withhold submitting a copy to the Office of the National Administrative Register at the University of the Philippines Law Center, a necessary requirement for the policy to take effect.
MMDA 23-003 mandates full-day number coding from Monday to Friday, excluding holidays, running from 7 am to 7 pm.
Under the same regulation, the window hours are to be eliminated for the following roads:
- C-1 Recto Avenue
- C-2 President Quirino Avenue
- C-3 Araneta Avenue
- C-4 EDSA
- C-5 C.P. Garcia Avenue
- R-1 Roxas Blvd
- R-2 Taft Avenue
- R-3 SLEX
- R-4 Shaw Boulevard
- R-5 Ortigas Avenue
- R-6 Magsaysay Boulevard, Aurora Boulevard
- R-7 Quezon Avenue, Commonwealth Avenue
- R-8 A. Bonifacio Avenue
- R-9 Rizal Avenue
- R-10 Anda Circle to Samson Road
Artes in an online press briefing said that for now the current Unified Vehicle Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP), also commonly known as number coding, remains in place from 7 am to 10 am and 5 pm to 8 pm on weekdays, except holidays.
“As long as we can withhold it (MMDA Regulation No. 23-003), we will withhold its implementation,” Artes said.
He said the agency will provide advance notice regarding the implementation of the revised regulation.
“We just want to be prepared for the worst. It’s better that we already have the approval of the [MMC] now. If we delay it and our policy is implemented late, it is possible that we will have another ‘carmageddon’ in Metro Manila,” Artes said.
An MMDA study revealed EDSA sees an average of 4,000 vehicles at any given time, with 2,000 vehicles on C-5 Road (officially C.P. Garcia Avenue). The removal of window hours is expected to reduce vehicle volume by approximately 20%, according to Artes.
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