The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) appealed yesterday for understanding for temporarily suspending the issuance of exemptions from the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP) or the number coding scheme.
Celine Pialago, MMDA spokesperson, said there is a need for agency officials to re-evaluate existing policies.
“Those with pending applications have to be put on hold as policies have to be reviewed under the UVVRP.
“Giving exemption certificates might defeat the purpose of reducing the number of vehicles on the roads,” said Pialago.
Since last year, the agency has been swamped with applications for exemptions from the number coding scheme.
MMDA officer in charge Tim Orbos said that issuance of an exemption from the UVVRP is not mandatory but subject to evaluation and in consideration of exceptional humanitarian reasons.
He also reminded the public that the MMDA Memorandum Circular allows automatic exemption without the need for an MMDA exemption certificate under certain circumstances such as vehicles carrying person needing immediate medical attention, official and marked media vehicles, among others. (Anna Liza Villas-Alavaren)