No number coding today, says MMDA

The Unified Vehicle Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP), or the number-coding scheme, is suspended today, tomorrow, Jan. 1 and Jan. 2, a ranking Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) official said yesterday.

MMDA Traffic Operations Center Executive Director Angelito Vergel de Dios stressed that there is no number-coding on public holidays and weekends. The number coding is not suspended on special non-working holidays for government employees.

"That’s pretty easy to remember," Vergel de Dios said.

On special non-working holidays, private companies have the option to require their employees to report for work or not.

Therefore, Vergel de Dios said, there is no need to suspend the number-coding because there would still be a lot of vehicles on Metro Manila roads.

Dec. 26 is a special non-working holidays for government employees. Malacañang had declared, through Proclamation 503, Jan. 2 as a special non-working day for all in lieu of the Rizal Day holiday on Dec. 30, which shall be a regular working day.

Meanwhile, the C5/Ortigas Avenue Extension Interchange was inaugurated yesterday by MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando, formally opening the much-anticipated thoroughfare to the public.

The two-lane C-5 flyover, at the intersection of Ortigas and C-5, is expected to decongest the traffic volume on EDSA.

"This could be an alternative to EDSA, especially for those en route to Quezon City and the eastern part of Metro Manila such as Marikina City," Vergel de Dios said. — Nikko Dizon