Color Coding facts from the MMDA and other helpful info

Here is a very informative post that we stumbled upon in Facebook. Find out where there’s no color coding and a lot more. We highlighted some more important and relevant facts too.

By George William

1. No window hours: Makati, Malabon and Las Pinas (yeah, a lot of people still think there’s a window here. More people actually are requesting that there be a window in LP — Editor). Number Coding is in effect from 7 am to 7 pm!

2. No number coding: Taguig, Marikina and Paranaque (really?! great! — Editor) . So, feel free to roam around these cities anytime.

3. Pasig City has window hours of 9 am to 4 pm (note the 1 hour additional to the normal 10 am-3 pm window). Just as an aside – I heard that Pasig has adopted the same window hours as the rest of the other municipalities. No extra hour. Since there is no way to confirm this in Pasig, I advise conservatism and just assume the shorter window, just to be sure.

4. San Juan has window hours now according to MMDA website (can someone confirm this? — Editor).

5. Pasay City is implementing Number Coding except on the following roads: Ninoy Aquino Avenue, MIA Road, Domestic Road, Portions of Airport Road, Sales Road, Tramo (we are definitely hoping that the MMDA personnel and other “traffic enforcers” in those areas are familiar with this — Editor).

6. EDSA, C5, Pres. Diosdado Macapagal Avenue, Roxas Blvd (Pasay) have window hours regardless of the city (meaning one can drive via EDSA in Makati any day — this is a relief — Editor).

7. For the rest of Metro Manila (Caloocan, Mandaluyong, Manila, Muntinlupa (take note! — Editor), Navotas, parts of Pasay, Pateros, Quezon City, Taguig, and Valenzuela) number coding is in effect (window hours of 10 am-3 pm is also observed).

TOOLS AGAINST MMDA OFFICERS

I just reached my limit last weekend, and decided to take action against the abusive MMDA enforcers. I basically called up the MMDA head office and inquired from the Personnel Officer, Antonio Pagulayan, to clarify their policies. Here is what I got.

If any of these abuses seem familiar to you, Mr. Antonio Pagulayan (Personnel Officer) has asked that you call either the MMDA hotline (136) and ask for an Inspectorate. They will send inspectors to the place where these MMDA officers are extorting, even while you are arguing out of your apprehension.

MMDA officers are not allowed to group together in order to apprehend. They are not even allowed to stand together in groups of 2 or more. The only time they are allowed to work together is for special
operations (probably when they apprehend groups of buses for smoke belching).

Swerving IS NOT a traffic violation. Moving one lane to the left or right is not swerving, no matter where on the road you do it. And it is even less of a violation when you do it with a signal. Swerving is defined as shifting 2 or more lanes very quickly. So you can argue your way out of this, and call the Metro Base for help.

Sadly, using the yellow lane is a traffic violation and will get you a ticket. However, buses are really not allowed to go out of the yellow lane, so if you see selective apprehension of private cars only, you may complain.

MMDA has confirmed that your license MAY NOT BE CONFISCATED at a traffic apprehension. The only time they can do so is if you are part of an accident, or it is your third violation and you have not settled your fines yet. They are only allowed to give you a ticket, which you can contest. He recommends actually receiving the ticket in some instances, so that you can report the officer who did it.

Also, you are free to ask any of these officers for their “mission order”, which is written by their supervisor. If they apprehend you for a violation that is not in their mission order for the day, you can report them and they will receive disciplinary action.

Wow, thank you for this George! Guys, please feel free to pass this along.