THERE will be no number coding for both public utility and private vehicles on Holy Wednesday (April 12), the Metro Manila Development Authority announced Saturday.
The move to suspend the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program, according to MMDA general manager and acting chairman Thomas Orbos, came in anticipation of the holiday exodus.
Orbos said the agency wants to make sure there will be enough public utility vehicles, particularly provincial buses, to serve the passengers going to and from their respective provinces.
He added the temporary lifting of the number coding scheme will also help the public to use their vehicles to travel to their respective destinations outside the metropolis.
Orbos observed that people are going out of Metro Manila during these days to visit and be with relatives and families in the provinces during Lent.
“These will afford them the opportunity to use their vehicles especially with provincial bus trips fully booked by this time,” Orbos said, adding that people are expected to start flocking to bus terminals as early as Holy Monday.
Motorists and the general public can also call the agency’s Metrobase hotline 136 for periodic traffic updates and requests for assistance. The MMDA’s Facebook and Twitter account will also be open 24/7 during the Holy Week to accept and respond to inquiries.
According to Orbos, the holiday break would also pave the way for the resumption of the road re-blocking and repair works of the Department of Public Works and Highways on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and other major thoroughfares in Metro Manila.
The following are DPWH road projects to be undertaken during the Holy Week (April 13 to 16):
– Construction of reinforced concrete box culvert located at P. Burgos Street crossing Bonifacio Drive/Roxas Boulevard, Manila.
– Road reblocking in Quezon City, Makati City, Mandaluyong City, Valenzuela City, Pasig City and Pasay City:
• Along Edsa southbound, 2nd lane, between Roosevelt Avenue to Quezon Avenue
• Along Commonwealth Avenue northbound, 4th lane, between Litex Road to Doña Carmen
• Along Quirino Highway between Mindanao Avenue to Araceli Street, 2nd lane
· Along Congressional Avenue Extension between Luzon Street to Tandang Sora Avenue, 3rd lane
· Along Edsa southbound, 3rd lane–in front of Citynet 1, Mandaluyong City
· Along Edsa southbound, 1st lane–in front of Transcom, Mandaluyong City
· Along Edsa southbound, 1st lane–in front of Lux Center, Mandaluyong City
· Along Edsa southbound, 1st lane–near corner Shaw service road, Mandaluyong City
· Along Edsa northbound, 3rd lane–Edsa Shrine area
· Along Circumferential Road-5 (C-5 Road) southbound–between J. Vargas Avenue to Pasig Blvd., Pasig City
· Along C-5 Road southbound Makati / Pasig Blvd. to Commando Link, Makati City
· Along McArthur Highway between Cayetano Street to China Bank, Valenzuela City, 1st lane
– Drainage project:
· Along Edsa southbound vicinity from Tripa de Gallina fronting Kabayan Hotel, Pasay City, and
– Maynilad Water Services Inc. road works along A. Bonifacio Avenue northbound, 1st lane, near corner Cloverleaf
The MMDA gave its go signal for the resumption of road works, saying the people’s observance of Holy Week will be the best time for DPWH personnel to complete the unfinished activities.