The worsening traffic situation in Metro Manila has prompted certain local government units and the national government to implement their own respective plans to help relieve the public of the daily drudge in the commute between the house and the workplace.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has tried various programs to ease the flow of traffic, but the current Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (number-coding scheme) has been in place since 1996. If you’re either a balikbayan who hasn’t been to the Philippines in decades, or a recently released parolee from the National Penitentiary who will no longer be seeing Herbert Colangco’s concerts, this is likely how you understand the UVVRP: From 7am to 7pm on all streets within Metro Manila, private and public utility vehicles are banned depending on the last digit of their license plates. Those ending in 1 and 2 are banned on Mondays; 3 and 4 on Tuesdays; 5 and 6 on Wednesdays; 7 and 8 on Thursdays; and 9 and 0 on Fridays. You also know that the so-called “window period” allows banned cars to be used from 10am to 3pm, save for the cities of Makati and Las Piñas. Fortunately, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays are not covered by the scheme throughout Metro Manila, which would explain the horrendous traffic these days even on weekends since the streets basically become a free-for-all among NCR motorists.