Review is apparently an audit on the effectivity of number coding in Metro Manila.

MMDA’s Pialago suggests number coding may have outlived its usefulness. AL PADILLA

The effectiveness of the number coding scheme that seeks to ease the traffic situation in the National Capital Region (NCR), primarily blamed on the heavy volume of vehicles, is under serious review by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

During Tuesday’s “Straight Talk with Daily Tribune,” MMDA spokesman Assistant Secretary Celine Pialago said the agency had created a technical working group (TWG) to lead the study on the effectivity of the number coding scheme.

The review is apparently an audit on the effectivity of number coding in Metro Manila, which is the only program of the MMDA to reduce the volume of vehicles streets.

“Actually, there is (a review). I am just not in the position (to divulge) because I could be preempting. So, let’s just wait and see what will be done to the number coding scheme,” Pialago admitted to the Daily Tribune.

She said the MMDA leadership wants to establish whether or not the purpose of the scheme has been met.

Pressed on what would be the end goal of the review, Pialago said “Number one, the purpose of number coding is volume reduction. That is the only program we have for volume reduction.”

“As we go along, it seems that its purpose is no longer being seen. That is why there is a review, to come up with a study whether it was effective in volume reduction. Did it reach its purpose of reducing vehicles during these particular days?” she added.

“It’s very difficult to do verbally. That’s why we have the technical working group to do the study,” the MMDA spokesman said.

Pialago, however, admitted that the perennial heavy traffic in Metro Manila was the result of the high volume of vehicles.

She said an average of 800 to 1,000 new vehicles traverse Metro Manila’s thoroughfares, particularly EDSA.

She explained that an average of 410,000 vehicles daily are taking EDSA, which only has a carrying capacity for 245,000 automobiles.

“You could just imagine the volume… It’s not the fault of any particular agency or LGU (local government unit). It’s really the volume,” Pialago said.

“We have to do a lot of things in terms of policy and system… We need policies that will not demote or ignore certain sectors,” she added.

On the MMDA’s part, the spokesman stressed need for the agency to have more “power” to implement its policies regionwide.

“We hope for the agency to have the authority to implement traffic laws on our own,” she said.

Currently, she said that the agency, headed by chairman Danilo Lim, is in constant coordination with the Metro Manila Council to address the traffic problem.