The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced that it will extend the information campaign for one week relative to the prohibition of e-bikes, e-trikes, and other similar light vehicles on national roads which are under the agency’s jurisdiction, a month after the grace period granted by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. lapsed on May 18.
In a press conference, MMDA Acting Chairman Atty. Don Artes said that personnel on the ground will continue on reminding drivers of e-vehicles, such as e-bikes and e-trikes, as well as tricycles, pedicabs, pushcarts, and kuligligs to not traverse national, circumferential, and radial roads in Metro Manila, but will not issue tickets for another week.
Artes said that this is part of the MMDA’s initiative to support the President’s call to have an educational campaign, especially for those affected.
“We will still be not issuing violation tickets this week but we reiterate that they are still prohibited on major roads,” the MMDA chief emphasized.
“This one-week extension will allow owners and drivers of e-bikes, e-trikes, and other similar light vehicles to comply with either registration or getting a driver’s license.”
“This one-week extension will allow owners and drivers of e-bikes, e-trikes, and other similar light vehicles to comply with either registration or getting a driver’s license,” he added.
Absence of vehicle registration and license will result in the impoundment once the regulation will be implemented again Monday next week.
Artes said local government units (LGUs) have conducted intensive information drives on the alternate routes.
Vehicles impounded last month during the first day of the implementation were released and violators do not need to pay the fines.
Meanwhile, the MMDA is also preparing for the upcoming rainy season and La Niña through its continuous regular maintenance activities, flood control projects, and installation of trash traps.
The agency has identified 80 flood-prone areas across Metro Manila.
Since January to May 12 this year, it has cleaned 199,571 linear meters from its continuous regular maintenance activities such as declogging of drainage laterals, desilting of drainage mains, and dredging of waterways.
Artes also assured that all 71 pumping stations maintained by the MMDA are all operational. 163 trash traps are also installed along waterways while 28 others are installed at the pumping stations.
Aside from the regular interventions made by the MMDA, LGUs, and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the agency is proposing for the formulation of a drainage master plan which will cover the entire NCR and ensure that drainage systems are interconnected and appropriately sized to withstand volume of rainwater for the next decades.
However, he said that despite all the flood mitigation measures, there are still incidents of flooding, which, he said, is the result of improper waste disposal.
“We continue to appeal to the public to dispose of garbage responsibly.”
“We continue to appeal to the public to dispose garbage responsibly. If the trash will clog up drainage systems which are already outmoded, it will still result in flooding and traffic,” Artes said.
The agency is set to sit down with the DPWH, LGUs, and dam operators to discuss recently identified areas with localized flooding, mitigation measures, and disaster preparedness and response to ensure readiness for the rainy season.
