MMDA urges motorists to remain calm, follow traffic rules amid Christmas rush

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) called on motorists to manage their tempers and follow traffic rules during the Christmas rush this holiday season.

In an interview during the Ligtas Christmas 2025 launch at the Malinta National High School in Valenzuela, MMDA Swift Traffic Action Group commander Edison Nebrija said that the city roads are experiencing an “urban motility slowdown” due to the high volume of vehicles on the road.

“There’s so much traffic. Foot traffic, vehicle traffic, lahat po yan nasa labas ngayon,” Nebrija said.

He said that the current estimated number of vehicles on the road this holiday reaches around 500,000.

“Alam naman natin tuwing pasko nagkakaroon ng volume increase sa kalsada ng mga 10% to 20%... It’s no joke, and ang ano namin ngayon kapaskuhan na ito na panatilihin nating malamig yung ulo natin,” Nebrija said.

(We all know that there is a 10% to 20% volume increase in roads during Christmas… It’s no joke, and our advice this Christmas is to ensure that our tempers are cool.)

“With that, we encourage everyone to be disciplined, follow traffic rules and regulations, and make sure na malamig ulo natin pag bibiyahe tayo para ligtas, (make sure that your tempers are cool when you travel so that you are safe.),” he added.

Nebrija said that the MMDA is working with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Land Transportation Office (LTO), and the Philippine National Police - Highway Patrol Group (PNP – HPG) to manage traffic ahead of the rush of travellers making their way home to their provinces.

“[Para sa] maguuwian ngayong pasko, sama sama kami ng different agencies… Katuwang din natin yung mga bus terminals like PITX and Cubao Center Terminal na siguraduhing ligtas makakauwi ang mga kababayan natin pauwi ng probinsya at ligtas ding makakabalik,” he said.

([For the] travellers making their way home this Christmas, our different agencies are joining together… We are working with bus terminals like PITX and Cubao Center Terminal to ensure that our kababayans can safely go to the province and safely return here too.)

Earlier, the MMDA said the peak of the holiday carmaggedon would occur in the first and second weeks of December.

The agency has already implemented several steps to mitigate traffic, including adjustments in mall hours and suspension of excavation work on Metro Manila roads. –NB, GMA Integrated News