Metro Manila Traffic to Get Worse Than Pre-Pandemic Level by June, MMDA Projects

Traffic in Metro Manila may surpass the level seen prior to the pandemic by next month, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said.

MMDA chairman Romando Artes told ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo on May 19 that the projected traffic increase was on the back of the resumption of face-to-face classes.

“Wala pa pong pasok so kung magkakaroon ng face-to-face classes ngayong Hunyo, i-expect po natin na mas marami pa at mukhang mabe-breach po 'yung 405,000 na pre-pandemic level. [There are still no classes. So, if face-to-face classes resume this June, let’s expect [the number of cars to increase] and it looks like we will breach the 405,000 pre-pandemic level],” Artes told TeleRadyo.

He estimates that roughly 500,000 new cars have been added to the streets in the two years since the pandemic began, with 60% to 70% of which passing through Metro Manila.

Artes said possible solutions to ease congestion is imposing a two-day number coding per week and earlier working hours for government employees.