"Oh, the traffic outside is frightful..."

Traffic on EDSA heavier than usual? That's because the volume of vehicles plying Metro Manila's busiest highway has risen to 464,000 daily, nearly double EDSA's carrying capacity of 250,000 vehicles. 

Metro Manila tops list of metro areas with worst traffic: study

Chairman Romando Artes of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said the bulk of those vehicles jam EDSA during 6am to 9am and 4pm to 9pm rush hours.

The number could go even higher this week due to payday weekend and the rush to buy gifts before Christmas.

EDSA traffic exceeds pre-pandemic volume

"Tayo na nanawagan sa ating mga kababayan na planuhining mabuti 'yung pagbiyahe lalo na ngayong weekend," he said.

Daily volume of vehicles on Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA), which connects the capital's north and south districts, has exceeded the highway’s carrying capacity since 2012.

The MMDA earlier said it has prohibited the holding of mallwide sales during the holidays but said individual stores can do sales but without major promotions.

"Pag nag mall wide sale, grabe ang kine-create na traffic. Napakarami nating malls na nasa EDSA, C5 na major thoroughfares na pagnabararahn ay nako-cause ng major traffic. Hindi natin ipinagbabawal ang sale, huwag lang mall wide kasi pag-mall, wide dinudumog talaga ng napakaraming tao," Artes said. 

MMDA prohibits mall-wide sales, allows outlet store sales