The government agency has submitted the proposal to the Metro Manila Council yesterday. The council, composed of the 17 mayors of the National Capital Region (NCR) will deliberate on the proposal, but they are expected to pass it after Holy Week.

Under the proposal, the MMDA says vehicular traffic will be reduced by an average of 40 percent or around 1,174 vehicles daily. The proposed number coding program will have private vehicles stay off EDSA from 5 PM to 7 PM based on the last digit of their plate or conduction sticker numbers:

• 1, 2: Monday, Wednesday
• 3, 4: Monday, Thursday
• 5, 6: Tuesday, Thursday
• 7, 8: Tuesday, Friday
• 9, 0: Wednesday, Friday

“From moderate to heavy, ini-expect po natin iyong mga pangunahing lansangan natin will be light to moderate lamang at magpapabilis po ng daloy ng trapik (From moderate to heavy, we are expecting our major roads to have light to moderate congestion and a faster flow of traffic),” MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said.

With the new scheme, he said most motorists are expected to get home earlier on days their vehicles are not barred while still allowing them to use their vehicles outside rush hours when they are barred.

“Magagamit ninyo pa po iyong oras na iyan na instead na na-stuck kayo sa trapik, makakagawa pa po kayo ng errands or makakapag-overtime sa trabaho (You’ll be able to use that time instead of being stuck in traffic, you’ll be able to do errands or work overtime),” Artes said.