One-month dry run to decide fate of odd-even coding - Dizon
Metro Manila, Philippines - The government may still hit the brakes on the odd-even coding on Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) if the month-long dry run proves ineffective, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said Tuesday, May 27.
Dizon made this statement during a hearing of the Senate committee on public services, noting that the controversial coding scheme will be on a trial run beginning June 16.
“To allay the fears, dry run lang po muna ito [this is just a dry run for now],” Dizon said.
“After one month kung iyan ay mapatunayang epektibo meaning napababa talaga significantly ang number of vehicles sa EDSA, iyan ay pag uusapan nang ituloy-tuloy,” he added.
“Pero kung iyan ay makita na either hindi effective or kakaunti lang ang naging epekto ay irerethink iyan,” he went on.
[Translation: After one month, if it is proven to be effective - meaning it significantly reduces the number of vehicles on EDSA - then it will be discussed whether to implement it permanently. But if it turns out to be either ineffective or has very little impact, then it will be reconsidered.]
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Don Artes earlier stated that the dry run, initially scheduled for just one week, would serve as a public information campaign without penalizing violators.
Under the scheme, private vehicles with license plates ending in odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) will be prohibited from using EDSA on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, while those ending in zero and even numbers (2, 4, 6, 8) will be banned on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Even Dizon admitted that it is an “out of the box” approach to decongest EDSA ahead of its rehabilitation beginning June.
24-hour EDSA ban
The committee chairperson, Senator Raffy Tulfo, expressed confusion over the overlap between the new and old number coding schemes.
MMDA Director for Traffic Enforcement Vic Nuñez said there would be no overlap, as the odd-even scheme will solely apply on EDSA, effectively replacing the existing coding system in that area.
“Pag EDSA, odd-even coding scheme lang talaga,” Nuñez said.
However, the scheme will be implemented 24 hours a day.
Senator JV Ejercito proposed implementing the scheme only during rush hours to allow motorists some window hours.
In an interview with NewsWatch Plus, Nuñez said the MMDA is open to the idea.
”Pag nakita namin na medyo magaan naman at maayos ang resulta… perhaps we could adopt the suggestion of Senator JV Ejercito,” he said.
Alternate routes
Meanwhile, the government is considering a reprieve for major expressway operator SMC Tollways Corporation, including a possible extension of its concession agreement, as part of a plan to waive toll fees for motorists using Skyway Stage 3 - identified as an alternative route to EDSA.
The MMDA will also release additional alternative routes following Tulfo’s criticism of the apparent lack of public information on the matter. Nuñez explained that details about the Mabuhay Lanes and other alternate routes are already available, but the MMDA is working on providing more options.
“When are you going to inform the public? I want it now,” Tulfo demanded, prompting Dizon to commit to releasing the full details to the media by Wednesday.
