The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has urged motorists to plan early shopping to avoid Christmas rush traffic due to an anticipated 20% increase in vehicular volume.
The agency also advised shoppers to visit commercial centers nearest to their homes to avoid being trapped in traffic jams in the metropolis as shopping malls and other commercial establishments are known to be traffic generators during the Christmas holidays.
“Make your Christmas shopping hassle and stress-free by planning ahead of time. This way, heavy traffic, long queues in parking, and crowded malls can be avoided,” said MMDA chairman Romando Artes.
Artes also advised motorists to brace for heavy traffic on the Dec. 15 because of ‘payday weekend’, and on Dec. 22, the last Friday and working day before Christmas, due to the influx of last-minute shoppers and people going to and from provinces.
The MMDA will deploy additional personnel to manage traffic on identified choke points on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), where at least 15 shopping centers are located.
Mall operators earlier agreed with the MMDA proposal to adjust business hours to ease road congestion during the peak buying season.
Meanwhile, the agency will further intensify anti-illegal parking operations, particularly along Mabuhay Lanes, which are alternative routes for those who want to avoid EDSA.
MMDA assistant general manager for operations assistant secretary David Angelo Vargas encouraged the public to serve as a citizen’s watch patrol to report areas where there are a large number of illegally parked vehicles.
“You can report to us your locations where there are many illegally parked vehicles and we will verify it and coordinate with the local government units before we operate in the area,” said Vargas.
The MMDA’s newly-formed strike force conducts sidewalk and road clearing operations on different areas covered by Mabuhay Lanes.
The agency is expecting a 20 percent increase in traffic volume this Christmas because of the influx of people and vehicles from Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, and Central Luzon.