THE Metro Manila Council decided to shelve the proposal to re-implement the Odd-Even Scheme along Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (MMDA) during today’s (Friday) special council meeting held at Quezon City Hall.

Instead of the odd-even scheme, the MMC agreed to implement the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP) or the number coding scheme on public utility buses (PUBs) starting mid-November initially on an experimental basis.

The MMC also decided to create a Special Committee on Traffic to be headed by Mayor Herbert Bautista of Quezon City and co-chaired by Mayor Del de Guzman of Marikina City.

The Committee is tasked to craft guidelines on the UVVRP on buses, in close coordination with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board headed by Atty. Nelson Laluces.

“We heed the people’s voice as part of the consultative process,” said MMDA Chairman Tolentino.   “We also pledge to utilize all our available resources to find creative ways to solve our traffic woes.”

He added: “We will continue to enhance traffic enforcement, and we ask for the public’s cooperation in the days ahead by observing road discipline and courtesy.”

Chairman Tolentino commended the people of Metro Manila for their interest, vigilance and civic-mindedness in the policy-making decision process.  “May your participation continue not only in solving our traffic problems, but also upholding sustainable development efforts to address environmental concerns such as garbage and estero clean up, cleanliness and orderliness, and disaster preparedness,” he urged.

“We at the MMDA and the Metro Manila Council will continue to be vigilant as well, in upholding the people’s welfare.”

The odd-even proposal is just part of a package of proposals made after evaluating a study by the University of the Philippines  National Center for Transportation Studies which found that even under the current number coding scheme, EDSA private lanes had breached their maximum carrying capacity.

Another study conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency yielded findings that EDSA could physically accommodate up to 1,600 buses; however, 3,800 city franchised buses currently ply EDSA.

The Council deemed it best to explore other innovative measures aimed at reducing the traffic problem such as including the public buses in the current UVVRP or number coding scheme.

It resolved to step up traffic enforcement measures and drivers’ education, and crafting an Urban Transport Code of Corporate Social Responsibility, taking into consideration the general welfare of the people.

“The Metro Manila Council always upholds the welfare of our citizens and other stakeholders by formulating people-centered urban development plans for the betterment of Metro Manila,” Tolentino added.

Present during the meeting were Mayors Herbert Bautista of Quezon City, Sherwin Gatchalian of Valenzuela, Enrico Echeverri of Caloocan, John Rey Tiangco of Navotas, Del De Guzman of Marikina, Benhur Abalaos of Mandaluyong, Alfredo Lim of Manila, and Jaime Medina of the Municipality of Pateros.  Caloocan Vice Mayor and concurrent president of the Vice Mayor’s League of the Philippines Edgardo Erice and Councilor’s League of the Philippines President Serafin Bernardo also attended the meeting.