No number coding on Chinese New Year

MANILA, Philippines — The expanded number coding scheme will be suspended on Tuesday, the Chinese New Year, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority announced.

In an advisory, the MMDA said Feb. 17 was declared a special non-working holiday. Vehicles with license plates ending in 3 and 4 will be able to use public roads.

The MMDA noted that the expanded number coding scheme, which prohibits vehicles on public roads based on license plate endings, is automatically lifted during official and special non-working holidays.

Makati City, which implements its own number coding scheme from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., has yet to make a similar announcement.

In a separate traffic advisory, the Manila Police District (MPD) announced that some roads in Binondo, regarded as the world’s oldest Chinatown, would be closed to motorists on Feb. 16, the eve of the Chinese New Year.

According to the MPD, the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge will be closed to traffic starting 3 a.m. while the southbound lane of Jones Bridge will be shut at 7 p.m. and its northbound lane at 9 p.m.

Last year, the Manila city government held a parade and a countdown in line with festivities for the celebration.