More than 500 motorists violated the number coding in the first three hours of the strict implementation of vehicle reduction scheme in the National Capital Region on Thursday, Aug. 18, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said.
The expanded Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP), popularly known as number coding—which now covers morning rush hours or from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. aside from the afternoon rush hours or from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.—was first implemented on Monday, Aug. 15.
But the MMDA gave a three-day adjustment wherein violators were only warned. During the three-day adjustment period, the MMDA said at least 7,400 violators were warned.
On Thursday, Aug. 18. The MMDA said citation tickets were issued to that were apprehended during the morning number coding implementation. Some of the total of 516 violators will receive violation notice under the no-contact apprehension policy.
Most of the apprehensions happened along EDSA while the rest are in major thoroughfares in Metro Manila.
The number coding was implemented in anticipation of the increase in the volume of vehicles in Metro Manila for the resumption of face-to-face classes on Monday, Aug. 22. The number of vehicles expected to hit NCR roads is over 430,000.
The MMDA, however, said the number coding will reduce the volume of vehicles in Metro Manila by 20 percent.