MANILA (UPDATED) — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said Wednesday said it is looking for the right time to remove number coding window hours on some roads to limit vehicle volume.

San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora, chair of the policy-making Metro Manila Council, announced that the council passed a resolution for the scrapping of coding window hours on the following roads.

• C-1 Recto Avenue
• C-2 President Quirino Avenue,
• C-3 Araneta Avenue
• C-4 EDSA
• C-5 C.P. Garcia Avenue
• R-1 Roxas Blvd
• R-2 Taft Avenue
• R-3 SLEX
• R-4 Shaw Boulevard
• R-5 Ortigas Avenue
• R-6 Magsaysay Boulevard, Aurora Boulevard
• R-7 Quezon Avenue, Commonwealth Avenue,
• R-8 A. Bonifacio Avenue
• R-9 Rizal Avenue
• R-10 Anda Circle to Samson Road

The number coding scheme in the capital region is from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., from Monday to Friday, excluding weekends and holidays.

Makati City has no window hours and implements the coding scheme from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

JUST WAITING FOR IMPLEMENTATION

Zamora said the regulation was passed in a meeting of the Metro Manila Council and is being issued to also ease traffic as the Christmas season nears.

The new policy will have to be published in newspapers of general circulation and submitted to the UP Law Center before it takes effect.

"We are doing this as advance information para malaman ng ating mga kababayan na mangyayari ito... Ang effectivity na lang ang hinihintay natin," he said.

(We are doing this as advance information so that our countrymen know that this will happen... We are just waiting for the effectiveness.)

"Tinanggal na po natin ang window hours ng coding natin so from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. sa mga kalyeng nabanggit ko po ay implemented po ang coding once this resolution becomes effective," said Zamora

(We have removed the window hours of our coding scheme. So from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the streets I mentioned, the coding will be implemented once this resolution becomes effective.)

According to MMDA data, the removal of window hours is expected to reduce traffic flow along EDSA and C5 by 20 percent.

• MMDA announces traffic management schemes for Undas, Christmas season

INCREASED FINES

The MMDA has also obtained approval from the Metro Manila Council to increase fines for those illegally using the EDSA bus lanes.

The inner lanes are designated for EDSA bus lines, emergency vehicles, and government-registered services.

The current penalty for violators or those illegally plying EDSA bus lanes is P1,000.

The MMDA has proposed increasing the penalty from P5,000 to P30,000, with the possibility of driver's license revocation for repeat offenders.

The MMDA has encountered repeat offenders who are willing to pay P1,000 to use the bus lanes.

Based on MMDA data, there have been over 1,100 violators since January, with the highest number of illegal EDSA bus lane usage occurring in July at 4,395.

In addition to violations of road rules, the MMDA has highlighted that illegal road excavations also contribute to traffic congestion. These are road repairs conducted without permits.

The MMDA said it requires more time to study the traffic flow after the upcoming long holiday before deciding when the resolutions will take effect.

SAN JUAN CEMETERY

Zamora announced that the San Juan Cemetery will extend visiting hours from October 28 to November 2, from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m.

Bringing firearms, sharp objects, illegal drugs, alcoholic beverages, vehicles, and motorcycles will be prohibited as well as the playing of loud music and gambling.

An area will be designated for vendors of food, flowers, and candles who have obtained the proper mayor's permit.

— Report from Jacque Manabat and Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News