No lifting of number coding in Makati

Traffic laws independently implemented by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Makati city government have caused confusion anew among motorists, especially those on their way to shopping centers in the central business district.

MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando, on Sunday, announced the lifting of the Unified Vehicle Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP), or the number coding scheme, for two weeks, from Dec. 19, 2005 to Jan. 1, 2006.

The suspension of the scheme was supposed to cover all 17 cities and municipalities of Metro Manila since the agency was implementing the program based on MMDA Regulation 96-005 of 1996.

But Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, a staunch critic of Fernando, has refused to have his city’s traffic laws be superseded by those of the MMDA.

The UVVRP in Makati City, implemented as a local law under City Ordinance 2003-089, or the Makati Traffic Code, will stay in full effect for the holidays.

Because Dec. 24, Christmas Day, Dec. 31, and New Year’s Day all fall on weekends, there was no need to lift its implementation in the country’s financial capital.

The UVVRP, as implemented by the MMDA, is automatically lifted during holidays as well as Saturdays and Sundays.

Fines and penalties in Makati are also higher than those of the MMDA and other local government units.

Binay, president of the United Opposition (UNO), has opposed Fernando’s schemes that seek to improve traffic in the metropolis.

Makati, San Juan, Mandaluyong City are the only LGUs in Metro Manila that do not honor the UVVRP window hours (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) that allow banned vehicles for the day to use all roads and streets.

Mandaluyong only allows window hours at the EDSA-Ortigas area where shopping malls are located.

Makati Department of Public Safety director Hermenegildo San Miguel defended the city’s decision not to suspend the UVVRP for the holidays, saying the city government does not see the logic behind the decision, particularly since traffic volume is higher during the Christmas season.

"We do not understand why the MMDA would decide to lift the number coding scheme for that period when it helps reduce traffic volume by 20 percent," San Miguel said. "Even with the UVVRP in effect, Makati still experiences gridlocks due to the sheer number of vehicles passing through the city during the holidays so lifting the UVVRP would only aggravate the situation." – Michael Punongbayan