Will it work?

After the firestorm generated by the Bureau of Customs’ plan to open and tax balikbayan boxes, Malacañang on Thursday said it is ready to face public criticism over a plan to impose an odd-even traffic scheme in Metro Manila.

President Aquino himself floated the possibility of the “radical scheme” being implemented to decongest traffic in the National Capital Region (NCR) being blamed by the private sector for lost man-hours and productivity.

If implemented, the odd-even scheme would halve the volume of traffic but it is not clear whether it would also be imposed on public utility vehicles like jeepney, buses and taxis.

“Pinakaradikal ay hatiin ang bilang ng bumibiyaheng sasakyan, salitan ang pagbaybay ng odd, even na plaka kada linggo (the most radical is to halve the number of vehicles by alternating road use of odd and even plates),” said Aquino in Mandaluyong.

The move is seen by many as a bane for motorists and a boon for commuters, thus if implemented it may have a polarizing effect between those with privately owned vehicles and those who have none. –End-

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