MMDA body proposes full-day ‘odd-even scheme’

MANILA, Philippines -  The newly organized consultative council of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) wants a full-day implementation of the “odd-even scheme” to avoid confusion, an official said yesterday.

When the proposed modified odd, even scheme was “tossed” to the Metro Manila Transport Consultative Council (MMTCC), “the general consensus was that it would be better if the full-day odd-even scheme is implemented on major thoroughfares in Metro Manila as it is less complicated and would not cause confusion among motorists,” MMDA officer-in-charge Tim Orbos said.

He added that the MMTCC also agreed that the scheme should cover major roads in the metropolis and not EDSA alone.

The MMTCC was created last Thursday to study and suggest traffic measures and policies that are being proposed to the Metro Manila Council (MMC) for approval.

The MMC, which is composed of 16 Metro Manila’s 17 mayors, is the MMDA’s policy-making body.

Professor Clarita Carlos of the University of the Philippines was chosen to facilitate meetings of the council, composed of transport leaders, commuters’ safety advocates, motorcycle riders’ organizations and public utility vehicle operators.

Representatives from the MMDA, Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Office, and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board are also part of the council.

In the MMC meeting last Tuesday, the MMDA proposed an odd-even scheme that private cars would be banned from EDSA in three two-hour intervals. The scheme was criticized for being short-sighted.

The scheme would complement the number coding policy.

Under the scheme, private cars with plates ending in an odd number will not be allowed on EDSA from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.; 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Vehicles with plates ending in an even number will not be allowed on EDSA from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.; 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The MMC did not make any decision on the proposal, but told the MMDA to first clear the mabuhay lanes and the illegal bus terminals in Pasay and Cubao, Quezon City.

Orbos remains optimistic that the full-day odd-even scheme will be approved in the next MMC meeting in April.

He said it will help reduce the number of private cars on the road by at least 50 percent.