For those living in or traveling to Metro Manila, understanding the Car Coding Scheme In Manila 2018 is crucial for navigating the city’s complex traffic regulations. Known officially as the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP), or simply “Number Coding,” this system has been a fixture of Manila’s roads for years. If you’re scratching your head wondering what it is, or need a refresher, this guide will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the car coding scheme as it stood in Manila during 2018.
Understanding the History of Manila’s Number Coding
The car coding scheme in Manila 2018 wasn’t a new concept. Its roots trace back to 1995 when the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) first implemented the UVVRP through Memorandum Regulation No. 95-001. This initial regulation aimed to combat the growing traffic congestion in Metro Manila by restricting the number of vehicles on the roads during weekdays. A year later, in 1996, Memorandum Regulation No. 96-005 revised the original scheme, refining the rules and solidifying the foundation for the system many drivers in Manila are familiar with today. This history is essential to understand the context of the car coding scheme in Manila 2018.
The Core Objective: Reducing Traffic Congestion
The primary goal of the car coding scheme in Manila 2018, and indeed since its inception, is to alleviate traffic congestion. It achieves this by limiting the number of private and public utility vehicles allowed on major roads based on the last digit of their license plates. As outlined in Section 1 of Memorandum Regulation No. 96-005, both private and public vehicles are subject to these restrictions.
The operational hours of the car coding scheme in Manila 2018 were typically from 7 AM to 8 PM, Monday to Friday. The ban days were determined by the last digit of the vehicle’s license plate number, following a straightforward pattern:
- Mondays: Plates ending in 1 and 2
- Tuesdays: Plates ending in 3 and 4
- Wednesdays: Plates ending in 5 and 6
- Thursdays: Plates ending in 7 and 8
- Fridays: Plates ending in 9 and 0
Navigating the “Window Hour” System
A key element of the car coding scheme in Manila 2018 was the “window hour.” This provided a five-hour reprieve, from 10 AM to 3 PM, during which vehicles covered by the number coding could still use public roads without penalty. This window was intended to offer some flexibility for motorists. However, it’s important to note that the window hour system wasn’t universally applied across all roads. Major thoroughfares in Metro Manila often had “no window hour” policies, and these rules could even vary from city to city within Metro Manila, adding complexity to the car coding scheme in Manila 2018. Due to this potential for confusion, many drivers opted to simply avoid using their vehicles altogether on their coding days to ensure compliance.
Roads Without Window Hours: Expanded UVVRP
Traffic in Metro Manila has been notoriously challenging, a reality that led the Philippine government to establish the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (i-ACT). This council, composed of agencies like the MMDA, Department of Transportation (DOTr), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Land Transportation Office (LTO), Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG), and the Metro Manila Council, aimed to tackle the worsening traffic situation. One of i-ACT’s initiatives was the implementation of an Expanded UVVRP, also known as Expanded Number Coding.
Under the Expanded UVVRP that was in effect during car coding scheme in Manila 2018, the general restriction hours remained from 7 AM to 8 PM. However, a significant change was the elimination of window hours on major roads. This meant that on key arteries like EDSA, C5, Roxas Boulevard, Alabang-Zapote Road, and roads within Mandaluyong City, the number coding was strictly enforced throughout the entire 7 AM to 8 PM period.
Here’s a more detailed list of road types and examples that typically had no window hours under the car coding scheme in Manila 2018:
Circumferential Roads (C1 to C6):
- C-1 C.M. Recto Avenue (Roxas Blvd to Legarda)
- C-2 A.H. Lacson/Quirino Avenue (Roxas Blvd to R-10)
- C-3 G. Araneta Avenue/Sgt. Rivera (N. Domingo to R-10)
- C-4 EDSA (R-10 to Macapagal Blvd)
- C-5 (Commonwealth Ave to South Superhighway)
- C-6
Radial Roads (R1 to R10):
- R-1 Roxas Boulevard (CM Recto to MIA Road)
- R-2 Taft Avenue (Lawton to Redemptorist)
- R-3 South Superhighway (Quirino to Nichols Interchange)
- R-4 Shaw Boulevard (R. Magsaysay Blvd to Pasig Blvd)
- R-5 Ortigas Avenue (Santolan to Imelda Avenue)
- R-6 Aurora Boulevard/R Magsaysay Boulevard (R. Magsaysay/Legarda to C-5 Katipunan)
- R-7 Espana/Quezon Avenue/Commonwealth Avenue
- R-8 A. Bonifacio Avenue (Blumentritt to EDSA Balintawak)
- R-9 Rizal Avenue (Carriedo to Monumento)
- R-10 Northern Coastal (Recto to C-4)
Major Highways:
- A. Mabini Street (Samson Road to C-3)
- Alabang-Zapote Road (Alabang to Real Street/Quirino Avenue)
- McArthur Highway (Monumento to Valenzuela/Meycauayan Boundary)
- Marcos Highway (Katipunan Ave to Sumulong Highway)
- East and West NLEX Service Road through Valenzuela
Furthermore, cities like Las Piñas, Mandaluyong, Makati, and parts of Pasay also generally did not observe window hours within their jurisdictions under the car coding scheme in Manila 2018, reinforcing the stricter enforcement across key Metro Manila areas.
Exemptions: Vehicles Allowed During Coding Hours
Despite the broad reach of the car coding scheme in Manila 2018, certain vehicle types were exempted. These exemptions were in place to ensure essential services and specific needs were not hindered by traffic restrictions. Vehicles automatically exempt included:
- Ambulances, fire trucks, police patrol cars, and military vehicles
- Cargo trucks and other heavy vehicles (over 4,500 kg gross weight)
- Department of Tourism (DOT) accredited tourism vehicles
- Government-commandeered vehicles for emergency or relief purposes
- Vehicles transporting individuals needing immediate medical attention
- Diplomatic vehicles with diplomatic license plates
- MMDA-accredited tow trucks
- Government vehicles with government plates or appropriate LTO stickers
- Vehicles delivering perishable goods in commercial quantities
Penalties for Violating Number Coding Rules
Violating the car coding scheme in Manila 2018 resulted in a relatively modest fine of PHP300. However, prompt payment was encouraged, typically within seven days, to avoid potential increases in fines during license renewal. Fines could be settled at designated payment centers such as Metrobank, SM Payment Center, or Bayad Center branches.
It’s worth noting that some local jurisdictions, like Muntinlupa City, implemented steeper fines. In Muntinlupa, violations could incur PHP500 for the first offense, PHP750 for the second, and PHP1,000 for subsequent offenses, highlighting the varying levels of enforcement and penalties even within Metro Manila during the car coding scheme in Manila 2018 period.
City-Specific Number Coding Schemes: Pasig and Valenzuela
Beyond the Metro Manila-wide UVVRP, some cities implemented their own localized number coding schemes in 2018.
Pasig City: Pasig City had an Odd-Even traffic scheme in effect since December 2016. This scheme operated in specific areas:
- San Guillermo Avenue/Buting Eastbound
- Elisco Road/Nascor Westbound
- Elisco Road/M. Concepcion St./R. Jabson St. Intersection
- San Lorenzo, Greenwoods/Sandoval Avenue Northbound and Southbound
- F. Legaspi Westbound
Pasig’s Odd-Even scheme ran from 6 AM to 10 PM, Monday to Saturday. Vehicles with plates ending in odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) were restricted on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Even-numbered plates (0, 2, 4, 6, 8) were restricted on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. This added another layer of complexity for drivers navigating the car coding scheme in Manila 2018.
Valenzuela City: Valenzuela City implemented its own number coding scheme starting September 3, 2018, on roads including:
- McArthur Highway
- Maysan-Paso de Blas Road
- Karuhatan-Gen.T de Leon
- Gov. I Santiago (Malinta-Tatawid)
- Mindanao Avenue (Brgy. Ugong)
- East and West NLEX service road
- T. Santiago Road
- Sapang Bakaw (Lawang Bato)-Punturin-Bignay Road
Valenzuela’s scheme mirrored the expanded UVVRP in terms of hours (7 AM to 8 PM, no window hours) and weekday enforcement, suspended only on holidays. This localized approach further shaped the car coding scheme in Manila 2018.
The Ongoing Challenge of Manila Traffic
Despite the car coding scheme in Manila 2018 and other traffic management efforts, Metro Manila continued to grapple with severe traffic congestion. A key contributing factor was the sheer volume of vehicles, driven in part by the lack of a truly efficient and reliable public transportation system. This encouraged many Filipinos to purchase private vehicles, sometimes even multiple cars per household to circumvent number coding restrictions, somewhat undermining the scheme’s intended impact. The fundamental issue of traffic volume versus road capacity remained a significant challenge.
It’s important to note that the car coding scheme in Manila 2018 context is now historical. As of June 8, 2020, the number coding scheme was suspended due to government measures to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The future implementation of the scheme remains subject to government announcements and evolving traffic management strategies.
Updated for historical context based on 2018 regulations.
