MMDA: Seniors, PWDs no longer exempted from number-coding, may use window hours

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Wednesday said senior citizens and persons with disabilities are no longer exempted under the expanded number-coding scheme.

At a public briefing, MMDA spokesperson Crisanto Saruca Jr. said the exemption was removed as there are window hours under the scheme.

“Meron naman po kasing window hours dahil po ang ating pagpapatupad po ng ating number-coding ay 7 a.m. hanggang 10 a.m. at 5 p.m. [hanggang] 8 p.m. po,” he said when asked on why senior citizens and PWDs are no longer exempted from the scheme.

(The exemption was removed because we have window hours, because our numbing-coding is implemented only from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.)

“So yun pong 10:01 a.m. hanggang bago pong mag-5 p.m. ay window hours kung saan pwedeng pong magagamit ng ating senior citizens [at PWDs],” he added.

(The window hours, which are from 10:01 a.m. to before shortly before 5 p.m., can be used by our senior citizens and PWDs.)

On August 15, MMDA started to implement the expanded number coding scheme in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Under the scheme, vehicles with license plates ending in 1 and 2 are prohibited on Monday, 3 and 4 on Tuesday, 5 and 6 on Wednesday, 7 and 8 on Thursday, 9 and 0 on Friday during the coding hours.

“Noong pong nakaraang linggo, bumababa po ang naging apprehension natin mga nasa 200 a day lang po (Last week, the number of apprehension declined to only around 200 daily.)

Saruca said that during the first few days of the implementation of the expanded number-coding scheme, the number of apprehensions reached around 1,000 daily. —KBK, GMA News