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All you need to know about the 'Number Coding - No Window Hours' traffic scheme in Metro Manila

All you need to know about the 'Number Coding - No Window Hours' traffic scheme in Metro Manila

UPDATED January, 2020

The "No Window Hours" for the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP) or Number Coding Scheme is fully implemented along EDSA, C-5, Alabang-Zapote Road, Roxas Boulevard, and in the cities of Mandaluyong, Makati, and Las Piñas, as agreed upon by the Inter-Agency Council on Traffic (I-ACT) and the Metro Manila Council, according to Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Thomas Orbos.

READ: Complete Guide To nCoV: How Not To Misinform Yourself About The Coronapocalypse

Additional roads were included in the enforcement of no “window hours” policy. They are Recto Avenue, Pres. Quirino Qvenue, Araneta Avenue, Carlos P. Garcia Avenue, Taft Avenue, South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), Shaw Boulevard, Ortigas Avenue, Magsaysay Boulevard, Aurora Boulevard, Quezon Avenue, Commonwealth Avenue, A. Bonifacio Avenue, Rizal Avenue, Del Pan, Marcos Highway and MacArthur Highway.

READ: My Epically Awesome Traffic Jam Day In Edsa, Metro Manila

The scheme will include all private and public utility vehicles and they shall be barred from entering the restricted thoroughfares from 7 A.M. to 8 P.M.

Vehicles, however, will be allowed to cross these thoroughfares to ease out traffic congestion on secondary roads, according to Orbos.

The cities of Mandaluyong, Makati and Las Piñas are the latest addition to those roads which will become restricted from color-coded vehicles.


What is a "window hour"?

The "window hour" used to be from 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. when all color coded vehicles are allowed to use the restricted thoroughfares without being apprehended. With the latest scheme, the "window hour" shall no longer exist.


Which vehicles are considered "color-coded" or banned on a certain day?

Monday - all plate numbers ending in 1 and 2
Tuesday - all plate numbers ending in 3 and 4
Wednesday - all plate numbers ending in 5 and 6
Thursday - all plate numbers ending in 7 and 8
Friday - all plate numbers ending in 9 and 0


Coverage of the Number Coding Scheme

The MMDA bulletin did not specify the actual point-to-point coverage of the latest number coding system, but basing from earlier news reports, we can estimate its reach:

EDSA - the whole stretch of Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue from Monumento Circle in Caloocan City to corner of Roxas Boulevard near SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City

C5 Road - the whole stretch of Carlos P. Garcia Avenue (C5) from Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City to corner of Manila Skyway, Taguig City

Alabang - Zapote Road - from corner of South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and Alabang Zapote Road in Alabang, Muntinlupa to corner of Longos Road, Las Piñas City (near the Zapote Barangay Hall before the entrance of Manila - Cavite Expressway)

Roxas Boulevard - from corner of Anda Circle in Port Area, Manila up to Caltex Gas Station (before the entrance of Coastal Road)

Mandaluyong City - all major and secondary roads within the city

Makati City - all major and secondary roads within the city

Las Piñas City - all major and secondary roads within the city


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LATEST UPDATE:

Expanded Coverage

The number coding scheme will have a one-hour extension starting October 24, 2016, with the no window hours policy to be expanded into more national, circumferential and arterial roads in Metro Manila.

The unified vehicular volume reduction program (UVVRP) or number coding scheme will be implemented from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. instead of only up to 7:00 p.m.

Roads to be included in the enforcement of no “window hours” policy are Recto Avenue, Pres. Quirino Qvenue, Araneta Avenue, Carlos P. Garcia Avenue, Taft Avenue, South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), Shaw Boulevard, Ortigas Avenue, Magsaysay Boulevard, Aurora Boulevard, Quezon Avenue, Commonwealth Avenue, A. Bonifacio Avenue, Rizal Avenue, Del Pan, Marcos Highway and MacArthur Highway.

(IMPORTANT: Please take note that the points of coverage mentioned above were based on news reports/media interviews with PNP-HPG and MMDA officials and may change without prior notice. Please bookmark this page for future updates.)


Senior Citizens

Contrary to earlier reports, there will be no exemption to senior citizens, unless otherwise they are to be transported due to emergency and medical reasons.


Doctors, media personalities and school buses

Contrary to popular belief, the vehicles used by these personalities are not automatically exempted from the number coding scheme. They still need to apply for an exemption from the MMDA.


Buses, jeepneys, taxis, UV Express

There will not be any exemptions for passenger buses and other public utility vehicles. Thus, Number Coding shall be strictly imposed to them from 7:00 A.M. - 7:00 P.M.




Automatic exemptions

The following are automatically exempted from the UVVRP:

a. DOT accredited tourism vehicles marked as such.
b. Cargo trucks and other heavy vehicles, whether empty or loaded, as defined in Section 2 of MMC Ordinance No. 78-04, as amended, shall continue to be covered by MMA Ordinance No. 5, Series of 1994 governing Truck Ban.
c. Ambulance, firetrucks, police patrol cars, military vehicles with permanent marking indicating vehicles as such. Ambulance and firetrucks which are privately owned and properly marked as such shall likewise be exempted.
d. Vehicles commandeered by the government directed by a person in authority or his agent/or by a medical practitioner for military relief or emergency purposes.
e. Vehicles carrying person/s needing immediate medical attention.
f. Diplomatic vehicles with diplomatic plates.
g. MMDA accredited tow trucks provided that the accreditation papers must be carried and ready for presentation upon request.
h. Government vehicles with government plates or appropriate LTO stickers with permanent markings expressly showing the name of government agency or office, including those vehicles of Members of Congress with officially issued LTO protocol plates and being utilized in the performance of their functions.
i. MMDA accredited tow trucks provided that the accreditation papers must be carried and ready for presentation upon request.
j. Vehicles delivering perishable goods in commercial quantity.
k. Motorcycles pursuant to MMDA Memorandum Circular No. 96-005B (1998)


Who are those who still need to apply for exemption? 

The MMDA shall issue exemption certificates and conduct passes in accordance with MMDA Regulation No. 96-005, as amended, MMDA Regulation 98-006-A, and MMDA Regulation 10-001, to the following vehicles:

a. Duly enfranchised school buses, including school buses with provisional authority by the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB), with appropriate LTO stickers and markings. Company buses/shuttle service ferrying employees for free and with appropriate LTO stickers and markings are also exempted.
b. Official media vehicles with corresponding markings showing name/logo of the media firm and duly registered under the said firm as evidenced by valid registration papers. Privately owned vehicles being used by media personalities on official duties as attested by the concerned editor/publisher/station manager, are exempted provided that the written authority aforementioned is carried and ready for presentation upon request. A signboard, indicating the media establishment represented,shall likewise be conspicuously displayed on the vehicle.
c. Vehicles used by medical practitioners in an emergency.
d. Vehicles on a mission to carry relief goods to identified calamity or highly depressed areas.
e. Vehicles carrying person/s needing immediate medical attention.
f. Diplomatic vehicles with diplomatic plates.
g. MMDA accredited tow trucks provided that the accreditation papers must be carried and ready for presentation upon request.

NOTE:
All UVVRP exemptions and truck ban conduct passes granted under this section shall not include authority to use the Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA).

Pursuant to MMDA Regulation No. 98-006-A, conduct passes shall be granted to the following on a limited basis:

i. Heavy vehicles delivering petroleum products,
ii. Heavy vehicles undertaking international messengerial services,
iii. Heavy vehicles utilized as garbage trucks,
iv. Emergency heavy vehicles of power and water companies,
v. Heavy vehicles being utilized by the government in the construction of flagship projects as identified by the MMDA and subject to the issuance of a valid certification and trip pass by the government authority concerned such as the DPWH, DOTC, LGUs, PEA, at al.
vi. Heavy vehicles carrying perishable goods in commercial quantity.

The Chairman of MMDA may grant additional temporary exemptions pursuant to existing regulations based on highly exceptional circumstances.

Exemption certificates which were previously issued but are no longer covered by exemptions enumerated under this circular are hereby revoked accordingly.


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