THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) yesterday said it will deploy more than 2,000 traffic enforcers on major thoroughfares and roads leading to bus terminals, seaports and airports during the Holy Week.
“Handa na po kami mag-deploy ng 2,104 na mga personnel para bantayan ang mga pangunahing lansangan sa Metro Manila, lalo na po sa mga lugar na malapit sa bus terminals, airports, at sea ports (We are prepared to deploy 2,104 personnel to monitor major roadways in Metro Manila, especially those near and leading to bus terminals, airports and seaports),” MMDA spokesperson Melissa Carunungan told the Laging Handa public briefing.
Carunungan said they are expecting province-bound people to flock to transport terminals during the weekend before the Holy Week, which will start on April 2.
To ensure that the agency has enough personnel on hand, Carunungan said MMDA chairperson Romando Artes has disallowed the staff from taking a day off, be absent or go on leave on April 5, 6, 7 and 10.
“A skeleton staff will be on duty from April 7 to 9 for the Visita Iglesia,” she also said.
The implementation of the expanded Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program or the number coding scheme, will be suspended on April 6 and 7 and 10, which has been declared a holiday by President Marcos Jr. in lieu of Araw ng Kagitingan (April 9), which will fall on a Sunday this year.
Carunungan also said MMDA personnel have been conducting daily clearing operations along the Mabuhay lanes targeting obstructions such as illegally parked vehicles. There are 17 Mabuhay lane routes coming from EDSA, North Luzon Expressway, Quezon City and Manila.
In a related development, Carunungan said a multi-agency command center will be set up and will start monitoring the situation in major transport hubs on April 3.
The center will be manned by personnel from the MMDA, Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, and the Philippine National Police.
