The Metro Manila Development Authority announced on Thursday that it would be stricter in giving exemptions on the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP), popularly known as number coding scheme.
This came a week after former Army brigadier general Danilo Lim assumed post as MMDA chairman to replace officer-in-charge Thomas Orbos, who will remain as the agency’s general manager.
The agency has started reviewing more than P1,200 vehicles which were exempted during the time of Orbos. It will also scrutinize the guidelines for exemption so not to defeat the purpose of the scheme which is to cut down vehicles plying the streets to ease traffic in the metropolis.
While the agency is still processing UVVRP exemptions, Lim said the applications would still be thoroughly reviewed by his staff. He tapped his chief of staff Jose Garcia and deputy Michael Salalima to do the job.
“We would be reviewing every application to ensure that the exemptions issued out by the agency would be reasonable and meritorious,” Lim said.
From October 2016 up to May 2017, a total of 1,263 UVVRP exemptions were released by MMDA.
To date, there are about 339 UVVRP applications for exemption received this year and are now being processed and reviewed at the Office of the Chairman.
The applications for exemption come from various sectors, including operators of light trucks, persons with disabilities, members of the media, and school shuttle service providers.
Under the UVVRP, vehicles are not allowed to ply Metro Manila roads depending on the last digits of their license plates.
License plates ending in 1 and 2 are banned on Mondays, 3 and 4 on Tuesdays, 5 and 6 on Wednesdays, 7 and 8 on Thursdays, and 9 and 0 on Fridays.
If the vehicles have yet to secure a license plate, the ban will be based on the last digit of their conduction stickers.
The UVVRP is not in effect on Saturdays, Sundays and regular holidays.
The Metro Manila Council, the governing board and policy-making body of the agency, has extended the No Window Hours policy for the UVVRP and extending its effective period from 7 a.m. up to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday.
The MMC also has also widened the coverage of the UVVRP to all national, circumferential, and radial roads in Metro Manila.
The MMDA earlier stated that medical practitioners in an emergency only need to show their updated Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) identification cards in case they will be flagged down by traffic enforcers for UVVRP violation.
This guideline shows that the agency recognizes the necessity of unhampered travel for medical doctors responding to emergencies.
The MMDA public information office also said media personnel and outlets that are using unmarked or unofficial vehicles during coverage need to apply for exemption from the scheme.
Assessment of the MMDA on the full implementation of the number coding scheme showed that motorists reduced their travel by 10 to 15 minutes along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue from Monumento in Caloocan City to Baclaran in Pasay City.
The agency said that about 6,000 cars are sold in the country each month, and that 90 percent of the vehicles using Edsa are private.