The Metro Manila Development Authority is set to reimpose numerous measures in the National Capital Region in line with the government program to ease traffic in the metropolis as the Christmas season draws near.
MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago said among these measures are the moratorium on road diggings, no delivery of goods during daytime, no mall sales and other crowd-drawing events during weekdays, and the adjusted mall operating hours from the usual 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. to 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Agency officials will be meeting mall, shopping center and commercial establishment operators in Metro Manila to discuss on how and when they will start the reimplementation of the schemes in a bid to lessen the number of vehicles in the metropolis as the peak buying months approaches.
Historically, according to Pialago, the volume of vehicles swells on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue by 10 to 15 percent during the “ber months.”
Shopping malls and other commercial establishments located along Edsa are traffic generators during the Christmas holidays, she added.
At least 16 malls and shopping centers are located along Edsa.
“We expect heavy traffic during this time of the year, and the MMDA is preparing several measures to lessen the burden of motorists,” Pialago said.
An MMDA study showed that delivery trucks and container vans loaded with goods, imported items and other salable merchandise, piled up the streets of Metro Manila which it said add to the traffic.
The MMDA, however, clarified that deliveries of perishable goods such as food and ice cream are exempted from the daytime delivery ban.
Study also showed that shopping malls usually hold sales during payday weekends, reducing vehicle speeds around malls to five kilometers per hour from 20 kph. It also showed that “midnight sales” or extended mall business hours contribute to the heavy traffic in the metropolis during the Yuletide season.
Among the shopping centers who participated in the traffic schemes last year were Ayala malls such as Trinoma and Glorietta, Shoe Mart, Robinsons, Centris, Fisher Mall, Star Mall, Eastwood, and Araneta Center, Podium, Shangri-La Plaza, Filinvest, Empire Mall, Walter Mart, and Lander.
Last year, the MMDA also imposed a moratorium on street diggings and other road repairs from November to January.
Under the MMDA regulation, the agency imposes fines of at least P1,250 and not more than P25, 000 or imprisonment of not less than 30 days but not more than six months of jail term or both for violators.
To make traffic flow more manageable, the MMDA coordinated with the Department of Public Works and Highways and the other concerned groups to ensure that the roadways are free from obstructions and serviceable to vehicles and pedestrians during the Holiday season.
The agency clarified that not all government infrastructure projects are covered by the order as some that are classified as urgent in nature were granted exemptions under MMDA Ordinance No. 2, Series of 1991.
MMDA general manager Thomas Orbos said traffic in the metropolis would remain heavy for the holidays, reaching a peak on that dates when people go last-minute shopping and attend various events.
He urged the public to do their Christmas shopping early to avoid the holiday rush and the expected traffic jams especially around commercial centers.
The MMDA also expects traffic volume to increase because of the influx of people and vehicles coming from various provinces in Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon.
