The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority will implement a new policy requiring personnel to reach traffic accidents on major roads within five minutes, MMDA general manager Nicolas Torre III announced Monday.
The agency is entering its final week of training and dry runs for the initiative, which aims to minimize the ripple effect of road collisions on Metro Manila’s already heavy traffic.
“We will launch this — this is our last week of training and dry-testing — our five-minute response for all roads,” Torre said in a television interview. “We know that the roads are already congested as they are. It will become even more congested when there is a collision.”
Torre, who assumed the role of general manager last month, has been coordinating with local leaders to align the agency’s efforts with municipal protocols.
He met with San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora and Pateros Mayor Miguel Ponce III to discuss improved coordination.
Zamora, serving as president of the Metro Manila Council, said local chief executives support programs that improve mobility across the National Capital Region.
In Pateros, Torre set a dual target — a five-minute arrival for accidents and a 10-minute window for clearing operations to resume normal traffic flow.
During his visit to the municipality, Torre inspected a command center that monitors roughly 500 closed-circuit television cameras, which he said would be vital for the rapid detection of incidents.