Not staying ‘single’
The Metro Manila Council (MMC) last Friday announced that it will not suspend the driver-only or “singles” car ban. This, despite the clamor of many motorists to do away with the traffic congestion reduction measure in Metro Manila.
The MMC is the governing board and policy-making body of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA). It approved the ban last August 7 of this year in its intention to reduce traffic congestion in the capital region.
Recently, Senate leaders passed a resolution, urging concerned government agencies to “immediately suspend” the measure due to the public’s outcry against its implementation, despite the fact that it is still on its dry run stage. The dry run aims to give time to traffic regulators to create a study to see how the measure will decongest traffic in the capital region and the motoring public be encouraged to resort to carpooling. Violators though, will not yet be fined during the dry run. With its full implementation, violators of the traffic scheme shall be fined P1,000.
To date, the scheme is still under experiment. The outcome, whether it will help solve traffic congestion or not is yet to be determined.
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Not long ago, the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP), commonly call the number coding or color coding scheme was implemented. It aims to ration road space in the authorities’bid to minimize traffic congestion in Metro Manila, particularly during peak hours by way of restricting vehicles that can use major public thoroughfares based on the final digit of the vehicle’s license plate.
The color coding was implemented in 1995 in Metro Manila and has been replicated in some major cities. In mid 90’s there were plans devised to help solve the issue of traffic congestion in the region, thus the restriction of “coding” vehicles during specific dates.
The scheme was conceived by Romeo Maganto who served as executive director of the MMDA’s traffic management office.
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Edison “Bong” Nebrija, former Navy Colonel and now the Commander of the MMDA Task Force Special Operations is now hugging the limelight as the horse pulling a cart of MMDA traffic constables and sidewalk clearers.
Nebrija, a graduate of Philippine Military Academy, is indeed implementing the law as he sweeps sidewalks of obstructions and apprehend erring drivers and vehicle owners of motor vehicle laws, local ordinances and other rules.
While the number of his enemies and those people getting mad at him is increasing, the number of his fans is increasing too as many are praising him for his proper, good and diplomatic approach in apprehending law violators.
If Nebrija is an elected politician, he has political will and lots of it in getting our streets safe and orderly.
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