MMDA hikes fines for EDSA Carousel violators

MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will soon impose hefty fines on motorists for the unauthorized use of the EDSA Carousel.

Contractors who violate the terms of road digging works will also be fined, the MMDA said.

From the current P1,000 penalty, motorists using the EDSA Busway will pay P5,000 for the first offense, P10,000 and suspension of driver’s license for a month as well as attendance to a seminar on road safety for the second offense, P20,000 and a year’s suspension of driver’s license for the third offense and P30,000 and possible revocation of driver’s license for the fourth offense.

Only city buses and emergency vehicles such as fire trucks and ambulances are allowed to use the EDSA Busway.

Acting MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said most of the violators are private vehicles and government-owned cars.

7 a.m. – 7 p.m. number coding backed

Meanwhile, the Automobile Associations of the Philippines yesterday supported the decision of the MMDA to reinstate the number coding scheme imposed on major roads in Metro Manila before the COVID pandemic.

In a radio interview, Automobile Associations of the Philippines president Augustus Ferreira said the traffic situation in the metropolis is expected to worsen as the Christmas season nears.

“I went to Makati and it took me two hours. I left at 5:30 a.m. and I arrived at 7:30 a.m. This means that the number of people using the roads is increasing,” Ferreira said.

Artes earlier announced that the number coding scheme, also called the unified vehicular volume reduction program, would be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The MMDA targets 3.8 million private vehicles with the return of the number coding scheme, according to Ferreira.

“The MMDA and Land Transportation Office target private cars as there is a need to reduce the volume of vehicles along the roads,” he said.