THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority yesterday said it does not see the need right now to expand the number coding scheme, especially with the reduction in the number of vehicles plying the metropolis, particularly on Epifanio delos Santos Avenue, due to the continuing oil price hikes.
MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said any expansion of the number coding scheme would be up to the new administration. “At present, there is no plan to implement an expanded number coding scheme. We see no need for it, especially with the reduction of the vehicle volume in our roadways,” Artes told the Laging Handa public briefing.
Last March, Artes proposed to the Metro Manila Council (MMC) a new number coding scheme to ease traffic congestion in the metropolis, especially with fewer restrictions on mobility due to the decline in COVID-19 cases. The MMC, composed of the 17 Metro Manila mayors, is the governing and policy-making body of the agency.
Artes said monitoring by the agency’s Traffic Metrobase showed a decline in the volume of vehicles in Metro Manila since last month.
“Noong nagpabilang tayo noong May 5 umabot sa 417,000 na sasakyan sa EDSA which is above the 405,000 pre-pandemic level. However, last June 9, the number declined to 392,000 and the other day it was only 390,000,” Artes said.
“The continuing oil price hikes is a big factor in this,” he added.
