Starting 15 August, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will start the reimplementation of the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP) or number coding scheme in the National Capital Region (NCR) from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays except holidays.
The Metro Manila Council (MMC), composed of Metro Manila mayors, approved in a meeting yesterday MMDA Resolution 22-14 Series of 2022, amid the expected increase in the volume of vehicles in the NCR upon the resumption of face-to-face classes on 22 August.
Under the scheme, vehicles with license plates ending in 1 and 2 are prohibited on Monday, 3 and 4 on Tuesday, 5 and 6 on Wednesday, 7 and 8 on Thursday, 9 and 0 on Friday during the said coding hours.
The re-implementation of the number coding scheme in the NCR will reduce traffic volume by 20 percent during the morning and afternoon/evening peak hours.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the average number of vehicles plying EDSA daily was at 405,000.
Based on the latest vehicle volume count conducted by the MMDA Traffic Engineering Center on August 4, approximately 387,000 vehicles traversed EDSA. The volume is expected to balloon to 436,000 or higher than pre-pandemic level.
From 15 to 17 August, we will start the dry run and will only remind motorists of the expanded number coding scheme. From 18 August onwards, the MMDA will start apprehending and will issue traffic violation tickets on ground and through our non-contact apprehension policy, Acting MMDA Chairman Engineer Carlo Dimayuga III said.
Exempted from the UVVRP are public utility vehicles (including tricycles), transport network vehicle services, motorcycles, garbage trucks, fuel trucks, marked government vehicles, fire trucks, ambulances, marked media vehicles, and motor vehicles carrying essential and/or perishable goods.
Meanwhile, existing number coding ordinances of the respective local government units will prevail on secondary roads.
The MMC, composed of the 17 local government units of Metro Manila, is the governing body and policy-making body of the MMDA.