24-hour private vehicle ban, 3 days a week on EDSA beginning June 16

Metro Manila, Philippines - Private vehicles based on the license plate ending digit will not be allowed on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) for 24 hours, three days a week beginning June 16 in anticipation of heavy traffic during the two-year rehabilitation of the main access road to cities in Metro Manila.

In a press briefing on Monday, May 26, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said the highway will be off limits to cars with license plates ending in odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Conversely, plates ending in zero and even numbers (2, 4, 6, 8) will be banned on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

The agency said EDSA will be unrestricted on Sundays.

“Sa ngayon po magiging 24 hours ang yung odd-even scheme pero titingnan po namin, iaadjust namin yan later on siguro na magkaroon ng window period probably between 10 or 11 pm,” MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said.

[Translation: Right now, the odd-even scheme will be 24 hours. But we’ll see if we can adjust it later on and allow a window period probably between 10 to 11 pm.]

Artes said the policy is a supplement to the existing unified vehicular volume reduction program, commonly called number coding.

He said the traffic changes will be on a test run for a week before violations with penalties are enforced.

The EDSA rebuild will kick off on June 13, with the first two weeks alloted for preparatory works.

The Public Works and Highways Department said the rehabilitation will be done per lane to prioritize the southbound and northbound portions of the Pasay to Guadalupe area this year, to prepare for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting in Manila in 2026.

The overhaul will begin in the exclusive busway until it reaches outermost lanes.

Public Works Secretary Manny Bonoan earlier told NewsWatch Plus rehabilitation works will last until 2027.

Toll-free Skyway

Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said portions of the Skyway Stage 3 will be toll-free once the rebuild goes full blast.

“Yung segment lang kung saan ide-detour ang mga sasakyan na hindi na sila kailangan dumaan ng EDSA, aakyat na lang sila ng Skyway,” he said.

[Translation: (The free toll only applies) to the affected segment. Motorists will no longer have to take EDSA and instead use the Skyway.]

Dizon said the freebie might take effect in July or August.

He earlier said the government is exploring options to compensate San Miguel Corporation, the tollway operator, in exchange for the free Skyway use.

Bus, MRT ops

Dizon said 100 buses will also be added in the exclusive bus lane to accomodate more passengers.

He added the government will also increase the number of four-car train sets in the MRT-3.

Dizon said he is also reviewing if the MRT-3 can still extend hours during the rehabilitation period. In March, the train line extended services by an hour on weekdays.

“Sa darating na mga linggo iku-kumpleto na natin yung pagtanggal ng mga x-ray para bumilis nang bumilis ang mga pila sa MRT stations,” he added.

[Translation: In the next few weeks, we will finish removing X-rays in MRT-3 to make lines in stations faster.]