Mulls suspension of number coding

METROPOLITAN Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Acting Chairman Atty. Don Artes said the agency is ready for the week-long transport strike starting Monday, March 6.

Artes said contingency measures were already in place to ensure that the commuting public will not be inconvenienced and transportation operations will not be “paralyzed” during the seven-day transport strike set by transport group Manibela.

The MMDA chief announced that the agency will dispatch vehicles offering free rides to the riding public that will be affected during the duration of the transport strike.

A total of 25 vehicles are ready to be deployed, including four air-conditioned buses, two non-air-conditioned buses, and 13 commuter vans.

“These ‘libreng sakay’ vehicles that we will deploy starting Monday can carry around 1,200 passengers per trip,” Artes said.

As for the routes, the MMDA, together with other concerned agencies, is set to have an inter-agency task force meeting to determine and finalize the routes where these vehicles and other assets will be prepositioned.

“We assure the public that we are ready and our assets and resources are readily available for dispatch to areas where there are reported stranded commuters to not compete against those transport groups who will not be joining the strike,” Artes explained.

Artes also said that the agency is still assessing whether there is a need to suspend the expanded number coding scheme during the said week as the inter-agency task force has yet to determine the affected routes and weigh the possible effects of the strike.

He is also in favor of conducting online classes until the last day of the transport strike to minimize the number of possible stranded passengers.

“We also encourage the public to remain in their homes, especially on Monday, if there are no important matters which they have to attend to,” Artes advised.

Meanwhile, MMDA General Manager Usec. Procopio Lipana, who is also the head of the inter-agency secretariat, warned motorists who will take advantage of the situation in the next few days.

“We will have our full deployment in the MMDA and in the Philippine National Police-National Capital Region Police Office (PNP-NCRPO), and we are on alert in case there will be incidents of (snubbing) and overcharging passengers.”

The MMDA is set to deploy more than 2,000 personnel to monitor situations on the ground who are tasked to give immediate feedback and reports as to areas where there are stranded commuters.