The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is eyeing the resumption of the implementation of the number coding scheme in Metro Manila as the volume of traffic in the region is already returning to pre-pandemic level.
MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos said Tuesday, Nov. 9, that the agency will talk about how they can implement the policy without resorting to a "drastic" implementation.
"So we were thinking what if gawin naming, kasi merong oras na talagang napupuno lang tayo eh (What if we implement it on those times where there is really a heavy volume of traffic)," Abalos said in an interview with Unang Hirit.
"We were thinking what if yung number coding doon lamang sa oras na yun muna para hindi ganoon ka-drastic, sa rush hour lang (What if the number coding scheme will be implemented during those time frames, during rush hour, so its resumption will not be drastic),"
In a separate interview with reporters, Abalos said they are considering 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m to 7 p.m. as the time frame to implement the number coding scheme.
He said they may finalize the new policy in two to three days or within this week.
"Maaring this week, mayroon kaming panukalang gagawin sa MMDA (We may come up with a new policy this week)," he added.
Currently, the volume of traffic along EDSA, Metro Manila's major highway, is already almost the same as it was before lockdowns imposed amid COVID-19 pandemic, Abalos recently said.
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 on July 8, 2019.
Previously, Abalos shrugged off the resumption of the number coding scheme as the traffic was still "manageable" and to 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."