Gov't urged to lift coding

MANILA, Philippines – With the dwindling number of vehicles on the road because of the high cost of fuel, there may be no more need for the number coding traffic scheme.

“It was supposed to be a temporary measure because the government could not think of other ways to ease traffic, but now I don’t see the need anymore,” Sergio Ortiz-Luis, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) chairman, said.

“Because of high oil prices, people have started taking public transportation and traffic has been reduced considerably,” he said in an interview.

Data from the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) showed that the number of cars used in Metro Manila went down by 10 percent in June from the previous month’s figure.

“If we have to see something positive in the rising prices of oil then maybe it’s the decrease in travel time for motorists,” Ortiz-Luis surmised.

Since January, diesel and gasoline prices have increased by P16 per liter. Oil companies said they still need to recover P8 to P10 per liter given the runaway prices of crude in the world market.

Oil companies have been raising their prices almost every week. Pump prices rose for the 18th time this year last Saturday. 

The continued weakening of the peso against the dollar has also affected fuel prices.

Flying V chairman Ramon Villavicencio has proposed a one-time increase in fuel prices of P10.

Consumer and Oil Price Watch chairman Raul Concepcion said diesel prices could even reach P70 by the end of August. Current diesel price is P54 per liter.