The current volume of traffic along EDSA is already almost the same as it was before the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr. said Wednesday, Oct. 20.
According to Abalos, a total of 390,238 vehicles were recorded plying along EDSA on Oct. 7, 2021, which was only a little less than the 405,882 vehicles that passed through the major thoroughfare on July 8, 2019.
"But the good news is the travel speed from Monumento to Roxas Boulevard right now is at 23.43 kilometers per hour (kph), as compared to 11 kph before," he said.
Despite this, the number coding scheme in Metro Manila remains lifted while the public transportation system "is not yet normal," according to the MMDA chief.
He said this was to further limit the spread of COVID-19 by allowing car owners to use anytime and any day their personal cars, which serve as their "personal bubble."
"If we implement the coding scheme, you might be forced to share a ride with your fellow office workers, thus, increasing your risk of infection," he said.
"Aside from that, the traffic is still manageable," he added.