MMDA suspends issuance of exemptions for number coding
Anyone thinking of applying for an exemption to the MMDA’s number coding policy should hold off as the agency has suspended issuing any exemptions last week.
MMDA GM TIM ORBOS. Photo grabbed from MMDA Photo Gallery
General Manager Thomas “Tim” Orbos said that there was a need to review the policy after the agency received numerous applications from private motorists.
“The volume of vehicles is there but we have to revisit the policies on the exemptions under the UVVRP because this might defeat the purpose of reducing the number of cars on the roads,” Orbos said.
He also reiterated that the issuance of exemptions is not mandatory, as they would still need to go through evaluations. Exemptions are also issued for “exceptional humanitarian reasons”.
Prior to the suspension, the MMDA allowed exemptions for the following provided they apply for one:
- school buses and company buses/shuttle service
- official media vehicles and personal vehicles used by media personnel for work
- vehicles used by medical practitioners in an emergency
- vehicles carrying relief goods to identified areas
Automatically exempted from the number coding scheme are DOT-accredited tourism vehicles, cargo trucks and other heavy vehicles, ambulances, fire trucks, police cars, and military vehicles, government vehicles (red plate), diplomatic vehicles, and those vehicles carrying persons in need of immediate medical attention.
Source: Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Autoindustriya.com, MMDA
