The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is encouraging motorists to avoid shopping on weekends due to anticipated heavy traffic on major thoroughfares starting December 13, coinciding with payday Friday.
The agency stated that the flow of traffic is expected to be congested as people would be shopping with their salaries and Christmas bonuses already received, adding that traffic typically gets heavier between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m.
The MMDA predicts a 20 percent increase in traffic volume during the holiday rush, attributed to an influx of people and vehicles from areas such as Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, and Central Luzon.
In the previous year, about 409,000 vehicles were recorded passing through Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, which is home to at least 29 shopping malls.
MMDA chairman Don Artes has encouraged motorists to consider early shopping to mitigate the impact of Christmas traffic due to the anticipated rise in vehicular volume.
The MMDA also noted that heavy traffic is expected on December 20, the last Friday before Christmas, due to an increase in last-minute shoppers and individuals traveling to and from provinces.
