As Metro Manila will once again be placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from August 6 to 20, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has assured private motorists that the Unified Vehicular Reduction Program (UVVRP), or number coding scheme will still be suspended until further notice.
The suspension of the number coding scheme has been running for over a year now
The reason for the suspension of the number coding scheme is to help alleviate private motorists with their daily drive to work as public transportation has limited capacity.
As a recap, it was in March 2020 when MMDA first suspended the number coding scheme due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 in the country, addressing the difficult situation of Filipino motorists.
However, take note that the city of Makati will continue to implement the number coding scheme as of this writing.
Be advised
On the other hand, MMDA will also be suspending the Truck Ban in Metro Manila from August 6 to August 20. This will be implemented to ensure that essential goods will be delivered on time during the ECQ period. The Department of Interior and Local Government has also ordered the Philippine National Police to allow the free movement of cargo or delivery vehicles across all checkpoints, especially those transporting food items.
Aside from the free movement of goods, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) is allowing Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APOR) to go outside during ECQ that includes the following:
- Health and emergency frontline services
- Uniformed personnel
- Government officials and employees of official travel
- Authorized relief and humanitarian assistance groups
- People traveling to and from the airport
- People traveling for medical or humanitarian purposes
- Employees working in industries permitted to operate
- Public utility vehicle operators
As for public transport commuters, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that mass transit will be available during ECQ. And just like private motorists, only APORs will be allowed to go out and use public transits especially now that the cases of the COVID-19 Delta Variant in the country are increasing.
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