MMDA to impose moratorium on road works for holidays

MANILA, Philippines - Motorists can have some relief during this Christmas season after the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Tuesday ordered a moratorium on road diggings and excavations across Metro Manila from December 14 to midnight of January 3.

MMDA Traffic Engineering Center director Noemi Recio said a total of 146 road projects are being handled by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) across Metro Manila.

“If we can stop these projects, we are hopeful that traffic in the Metro Manila would not be that heavy and would somehow ease the burden of shoppers during the holidays rush,” Recio said.

Recio, however, pointed out that there would be exemptions to the moratorium including the flagship projects of the national government such as the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Skyway and road works that do not obstruct or block vehicular traffic.

According to Recio, any private contractor employed by a local government unit that would start a road project during the moratorium period would be imposed a fine by the MMDA.

“Aside from the stopping the excavation, the MMDA will also direct the violators to patch up the diggings so that motorists could use them,” Recio said.

Since 2008, the MMDA has ordered the stopping of road works during the Christmas season.

Meanwhile, mayors of Metro Manila composing the Metro Manila Council (MMC) also approved on Tuesday an MMDA resolution calling for the changing of all footbridges in Metro Manila to beige.

According to the MMDA, the color change would make the color of all footbridges in Metro Manila uniform. The color change would affect all footbridges in Metro Manila, to include those constructed by local government units.

There are more than 100 foot bridges across Metro Manila which are painted according to the color selected by the local government unit which had ordered its construction, according to the MMDA.