‘Coding’ to be lifted January?

The unified vehicular volume reduction program (UVVRP), more popularly known as the color-coding scheme, could very well be lifted by January next year.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) executive director for traffic Angelito Vergel de Dios confirmed that the proposal was raised by Chairman Bayani Fernando during one of their regular "brainstorming sessions."

De Dios said Fernando was seriously thinking about the lifting of the scheme right after the Yuletide season on an experimental basis.

However, the lifting of the UVVRP would not exactly offer total relief for single car owners since two cities will continue imposing the scheme.

Makati City and Mandaluyong City have long signified their opposition to the lifting of the car ban because of the huge volume of vehicles going in and out of their areas daily.

Both cities are hosts to the busiest commercial districts in Metro Manila with the presence of huge malls and office buildings.

Even though previous studies indicated that only four percent of vehicles in Metro Manila are taken off the roads under the UVVRP, De Dios said the actual number in areas such as Makati City and Mandaluyong City is significantly higher.

He noted that as much as 20 percent of vehicles are removed from roads on any given day in the two cities.

The exemption of the two cities from the lifting of the scheme would force some motorists to look for alternative routes outside of the major thoroughfares in order to get to their destinations.

Fernando had previously stated that the color-coding scheme would be lifted anytime soon, depending on how quickly the MMDA can free up more roads for Metro Manila’s motorists.

The proposed experimental lifting of the scheme this January will serve as the basis for a decision on whether or not to permanently do away with the color-coding scheme.

However, De Dios said he was not too optimistic about the effects of lifting the ban, noting that motorists have already gotten used to the scheme, which has been in effect for several years now.