The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) bared its traffic management measures to alleviate anticipated heavier traffic congestion during the Christmas season following a consultative meeting with concerned stakeholders.
MMDA Chairman Atty. Don Artes, who presided over the meeting, said the agency earned the unanimous support of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), shopping mall operators, water, electricity, and telecommunications companies in carrying out traffic alleviation measures during the holidays.
“We have to implement remedial measures to reduce traffic congestion as vehicle volume in Metro Manila increases during the holidays,” said Artes in a press briefing held at the MMDA Head Office in Julia Vargas, Pasig City.
“There are 421,000 vehicles traversing EDSA on a daily basis.”
Based on the latest data from the MMDA Traffic Engineering Center, as of September 24, there are 421,000 vehicles traversing EDSA on a daily basis.
Among the MMDA’s traffic alleviating measures for the Christmas season are:
• Temporary suspension of all road right-of-way excavation activities in Metro Manila effective midnight of November 18 up to midnight of December 25 which include road reblocking works, pipe-laying, road upgrading and other excavation works that may hinder or disrupt the smooth flow of traffic. Exempted from the moratorium are flagship projects of the government, DPWH bridge repair and construction, flood interceptor catchment projects, emergency leak repair, among others.
• Require shopping mall operators to submit respective traffic management plans to the MMDA for their respective mall sales and other promotional events two weeks before the scheduled dates of such events.
Shopping mall operators in Metro Manila will begin their operations by 11 a.m., an hour later from the usual 10 a.m. opening time, starting November 18 up to December 25.
Shopping mall operators in Metro Manila will begin their operations by 11 a.m., an hour later from the usual 10 a.m. opening time, starting November 18 up to December 25.
“The closing of mall shopping hours will depend on the mall operators’ preference. But we encourage them to extend to give the public more time to do their errands and last-minute shopping,” Artes emphasized.
There are 131 malls in the National Capital Region and 29 of them are located along EDSA.
Mall-wide sales shall not be allowed. However, sale on certain stores or outlets inside the mall may be allowed even on weekdays provided that no announcement, advertisement or tarpaulin of the same are posted.
Deliveries of shopping mall operators shall only be allowed during nighttime, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following day, except for perishable goods such as food and ice.
Further, Artes said that the MMDA will request the Department of Transportation to extend the public transport system’s operating hours, especially the EDSA Bus Carousel, LRT and MRT, to accommodate late-night commuters and mall employees.
Among those who attended the meeting are representatives from SM Malls, Robinson’s, Ayala Malls, Meralco, PLDT, Globe, DITO, Manila Water, and Maynilad.
