i-ACT Suspends Number Coding Scheme for Private Vehicles on Dec. 23, Dec. 29

im Orbos

In anticipation of the exodus of Metro Manila residents going to the provinces for the Christmas break, the Inter-Agency Council on Traffic (i-ACT), today announced that it will be suspending the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP) or Number Coding Scheme for private vehicles on Friday, December 23.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), an i-ACT member, will also be lifting the UVVRP for all private vehicles on Thursday next week, December 29, in time for the celebration of Rizal Day, the next day.

MMDA General Manager Tim Orbos said that historically, people are going out of Metro Manila during these days to visit and be with relatives and families in the provinces during the Holidays.

He said the UVVRP suspension will help the public to use their vehicles to travel to their respective destinations outside the metropolis.

“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 have started flocking to bus terminals as early as today.

He noted that little by little the traffic measures and schemes strictly being implemented by member-government entities of the i-ACT such as the Department of Transportation, Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group, Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, and the Metro Manila Council are being felt in easing traffic situation in the Metro Manila.

i-ACT recently limited the use of provincial buses plying a portion of Edsa, particularly from Timog Avenue to P. Tuazon Blvd from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. in an effort to improve traffic flow in the area where provincial bus terminals are located.

i-ACT personnel have also started the strict implementation of the Nose-in, Nose-Out Policy on provincial buses entering and exiting the bus terminals as not to cause traffic congestion along Edsa.

Earlier, the traffic council also lifted the Number Coding Scheme for provincial buses starting 1 p.m. of December 22.

It also suspended the UVVRP for provincial buses on December 23,2016 ; December 29, 2016; and Jan. 2, 2017.