MMDA eyes carpooling to ease Metro Manila traffic

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is considering a carpool system to ease the heavy traffic in Metro Manila.

A report on GMA News TV's "QRT" on Tuesday said that under the system, vehicles with only one passenger will be prohibited to pass along EDSA.

Vehicles having two passengers will be allowed as long as they will follow the coding system, the report added.

Moreover, cars with three passengers will be exempted from the coding system.

"Ine-encourage natin 'yung tao is magcarpooling sila para at least magsama-sama sila diyan, mabawasan ang sasakyan and 'yung cost nila maghati-hati so economically effective," said Jojo Garcia in a separate report by Chino Gaston on "State of the Nation with Jessica Soho."

"Talagang sobra-sobra na ang mga sasakyan so kailangan talaga magbawas habang ginagawa mga infrastructure," Garcia said.

Under the current number coding scheme, vehicles are banned just once a week: Vehicles with license plates ending in 1 and 2 are banned on Mondays; those ending in 3 and 4 on Tuesdays; those ending in 5 and 6 on Wednesdays; those ending in 7 and 8 on Thursdays; and those ending in 9 and 0 on Fridays.

According to MMDA data, 78 percent of the vehicles in Metro Manila only have driver on board, having no passengers at all.

The MMDA's proposal gained opposing reactions from some motorists.

"Ay nako mahirap po 'yun. Mahirap po 'yun kasi trabaho ko po palipat-lipat eh kaya ako naka-sasakyan," one motorist said.

"Eh papano kung kagaya namin, sa Uber ako... walang pasahero di mag-isa ka lang dadaan doon diba? Kung along the road 'yun ang kukuhanin mo," another driver added.

Meanwhile, the Automotive Association of the Philippines (AAP) sees no problem with the plan of MMDA, however, the group said there are other traffic issues which need to be addressed first.

"Enforce the traffic rules and regulations. Enforce nila. Alam mo 'pag in-enforce nila ang traffic rules sa EDSA makakalahati ang bus kasi kalahati ng mga buses diyan colorum," said Gus Lagman, president of AAP.

The MMDA said they are still conducting a study on the said proposal. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ/BAP, GMA News