MANILA: The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Monday announced a one-week extension of its information campaign on the prohibition of e-bikes, e-trikes and other similar light vehicles on national roads that are under its jurisdiction.
This came after the one-month grace period granted by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. over the measure lapsed on May 18.
In a press conference, MMDA acting chairman Romando Artes said personnel on the ground will continue on reminding drivers of e-vehicles, such as e-bikes, e-trikes, tricycles, pedicabs, pushcarts and kuligligs (improvised motor vehicle), to not traverse national, circumferential and radial roads in Metro Manila, but will not issue violation tickets for another week.
He said this is part of the MMDA’s initiative to support the President’s call to have an educational campaign, especially for those affected.
‘We will still be not issuing violation tickets this week but we reiterate that they are still prohibited on major roads,’ Artes said
.
‘This one-week extension will allow owners and drivers of e-bikes, e-trikes, and other similar light vehicles to comply with either registration or getting a driver’s license,’ he added.
The absence of vehicle registration and license will result in the impoundment once the regulation is implemented again on May 27.
Artes said the local government units (LGUs) have conducted intensive information drives on the alternate routes.
Vehicles impounded last month during the first day of the implementation were released and violators were not fined.
Meanwhile, the MMDA is also preparing for the upcoming rainy season and La Niña through its continuous regular maintenance activities, flood control projects, and installation of trash traps.
The agency has identified 80 flood-prone areas across Metro Manila.
Since January to May 12 this year, it has cleaned 199,571 linear meters from its continuous regular maintenance activities such as declogging of drainage laterals, desilting of drainage mains, and dredging
of waterways.
Artes also assured all 71 pumping stations maintained by the MMDA are all operational, 163 trash traps are also installed along waterways, while 28 others are installed at the pumping stations.
Aside from the regular interventions made by the MMDA, LGUs, and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the agency is proposing for the formulation of a drainage master plan which will cover the entire Metro Manila and ensure that drainage systems are interconnected and appropriately sized to withstand volume of rainwater for the next decades.
However, Artes said that despite all the flood mitigation measures, there are still incidents of flooding which, he said, is the result of improper waste disposal.
‘We continue to appeal to the public to dispose garbage responsibly. If this trash will clog up drainage systems which are already outmoded, it will still result in flooding and traffic,’ he said.
The agency is set to sit down with the DPWH, LGUs, and dam operators to discuss recently identi
fied areas with localized flooding, mitigation measures, and disaster preparedness and response to ensure readiness for the rainy season.
Source: Philippines News Agency
