MMDA lifts number coding today

In anticipation of the transport strike for the whole week starting today, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced the suspension of the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP, commonly known as the expanded number coding scheme) for today (March 6).

The agency made the announcement over the weekend following the finalization of emergency plans, prepositioning of assets and transport routes that will be affected by the strike.

"The UVVRP suspension is for Monday only,” MMDA General Manager Undersecretary Procopio Lipana said.

Lipana, who is also Inter-Agency Task Force Monitoring Team secretariat head, added that the agency shall assess in the coming days if there would be a need to lift the number coding for the rest of the week.

Further, the MMDA shared that it will deploy 25 “Libreng Sakay (Free ride)” vehicles, which will go hand-in-hand with the 1,200 vehicles that various local government units in the National Capital Region will dispatch to help transport stranded commuters.

The MMDA fleet that will be utilized during the duration of the transport strike include four air-conditioned buses, a pair of non-air-conditioned buses, and 13 commuter vans — which has a total capacity of carrying around 1,200 passengers per trip.

In addition, more than 2,000 MMDA personnel shall be positioned in strategic areas to monitor the situation on the ground and give feedback as to where the stranded commuters are.

The one-week transport strike will be staged by various transport groups to express their opposition against the Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization Program. Protesters will conduct a caravan from University of the Philippines-Diliman all the way to Mendiola, Manila, passing by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

It can be recalled that the Board announced the extension for the fourth time the validity of traditional jeeps’ franchises.

Photos from Ruben D. Manahan IV, Metro Manila Development Authority

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