MMDA Dribbles Anew Odd-Even Scheme

The MMDA is running out of ideas.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino, in a radio interview with Anthony Taberna this evening over DZMM, has revealed a pending plan to resurrect the odd-even scheme along EDSA from November 15, 2010 to January 15, 2011 -- on an experimental basis. According to Tolentino, he will be consulting with metro mayors this Friday on his planned scheme. He said that this plan will get 50,000 cars off EDSA and hopefully ease congestion.

The proposed scheme, which covers all private vehicles including motorcycles, is as follows:

- Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays: Plates ending 1,3,5,7,9 are not allowed in EDSA

- Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays: Plates ending 2,4,6,8,0 are not allowed on EDSA

Public buses, which comprise of the bulk of the EDSA traffic shall implement a number-coding scheme which is now being imposed for private vehicles in the metro except for some cities like Paranaque.

According to the MMDA chair's proposal, the side streets shall still implement the number-coding scheme and that vehicles may still cross EDSA from the intesections. Obviously, the side-streets will be having more vehicles than usual because of this.

Personally, I find this scheme too much of a hassle for private vehicles. In my opinion, the alleged illegal buses on EDSA are the ones to blame for the traffic. Of course, there are unruly drivers.

They should first improve the mass transport system and enforce traffic laws before cooking up these plate number-based schemes. It seems that the MMDA bright boys are losing their touch and feel of the people's pulse.

Though chairman Tolentino has valid reasons (i.e. air and traffic quality, etc.) in considering the odd-even scheme, I believe strictly enforcing the current number-coding scheme and other basic traffic laws must first be done before considering other proposals.

Mr. Chairman, please re-think this option.