Metro Manila Council (MMC) President and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora said on Monday, Nov. 6, that the proposed removal of window hours in the metro's Unified Vehicle Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP) or the number coding scheme to mitigate traffic congestion is still being assessed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
Mayor Francis Zamora
In an interview with Manila Bulletin, Zamora clarified that Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Regulation No. 22-003 amending MMDA Resolution No. 22-14, Series of 2022 and the Joint Metro Manila Traffic Code Circular No. 01, Series of 2023 (Title III No. 12) on the implementation of the Unified Vehicle Volume Reduction Program the council had earlier passed, is still being assessed by MMDA Chairman Romando Artes.
"Itong pagtanggal sa window hours is still pending. Hintayin natin yung go signal ng MMDA kung kailan ito i-implement. The Metro Manila Council has passed and approved a resolution, but the actual effectivity is still pending (The removal of the window hours is still pending. Let's all wait for the MMDA's go signal as to when this will be implemented. The Metro Manila Council has passed and approved a resolution, but the actual effectivity is still pending)," Zamora said.
"So quoting Chairman Artes, he will still make an assessment of the traffic situations starting November. If he feels the coding indeed has to be scrapped because of the heavy traffic, then that is the time that policy will be effective. For now, assessment period pa din tayo pero since pasado na sya, hindi na kailangan dumaan pa sa any process ng Metro Manila Council ito (For now we are still in the assessment period, however, since this has already been passed, the regulation will no longer need to go through any process by the Metro Manila Council)," he added.
The mayor noted that if Artes observes that the traffic is not that heavy and the window hours can remain, then he may opt to keep the status quo.
The MMC had earlier passed the said order wherein the number coding scheme being implemented from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. will soon become 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (with no window hours) in the following thoroughfares and roads:
Circumferential roads:
C1. Recto Avenue
C2. Pres. Quirino Avenue
C3. Araneta Avenue
C4. EDSA
C5. C.P. Garcia Avenue
Radial Roads:
R1. Roxas Boulevard
R2. Taft Avenue
R3. SLEX
R4. Shaw Boulevard
R5. Ortigas Avenue
R6. Magsaysay Boulevard/Aurora Boulevard
R7. Quezon Avenue/Commonwealth Avenue
R8. A. Bonifacio Avenue
R9. Rizal Avenue
R10. Anda Circle to Samson Road
"Studies made on traffic volume shows that traffic congestion was not limited only to designated peak periods as traffic volume on major thoroughfares during peak and off-peak hours were close to being similar," the order read.
"These studies affirm the need to adjust the number coding scheme under the Unified Vehicle Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP) to distribute traffic more evenly throughout off-peak periods and provide a more consistent flow of traffic around the clock on major roads based on similar volumes seen in peak and off-peak hours alike, hence, warranting the removal of "window hours" on appropriate roads," it added.
The council said the "ber" months are also a factor for the passage of the said order since most people often go out of their homes to celebrate the Yuletide season with their families and loved ones in malls, parks, and other places, which adds to the volume of traffic in Metro Manila.
Zamora stressed the modified number coding scheme will only be implemented once the order has been published in two newspapers of general circulation and its submission to the National Administrative Register at the UP Law Center.