The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has reported a “record-breaking” surge in vehicle volume along EDSA amid the peak of the holiday rush, with the count reaching more than 400,000 vehicles.
MMDA Chair Atty. Romando “Don” Artes said that vehicle volume has significantly increased compared to November.
“Noong november mas kaunti, less than 400 pa nga ang dumadaan sa EDSA,” he said in an interview on Dos Por Dos.
“[Pero] itong two mondays ago, dahil monday holiday nagpabilang kami ulit, umabot na ng 434,000 which is medyo record breaking for us. Parang ngayong taon ito ang pinaka-mataas na bilang na naitala amin,” Artes added emphasizing the heaviest volume of vehicles along EDSA in 2025.
The MMDA chair said the agency expects traffic volume to rise further by 5 to 10 percent this week and next week, especially as workers begin receiving their 13th month pay and bonuses, fueling heightened shopping activities.
He added that the peak of the holiday rush is expected next week, coinciding with the payday weekend.
“Monday [ay] pay day, halos napapasabay na diyan ang mga bonuses na inilalabas ng both public and private sector, ‘yan yung time na mamimili talaga ang ating mga kababayan,” he said.
Appeal to Malls on Limiting Sales
Artes said the MMDA has consistently appealed to malls over the past five years to avoid holding mall-wide sale events, which historically trigger heavy congestion.
“Talagang nakikita namin at sa aming pag-aaral, kung mayroong mall-wide sale, nagdudulot po talaga ng pagbigat ng dalawin ng traffic. Pero yun nga po ang lilinawin ko, hindi po namin pinagbabawal yung sale per se, not on a per-store basis,” Artes said.
“Kaya makakakita pa rin naman po kayo ng mga sales sa mga tindahan. So hindi naman po namin dinedeprive yung ating mga kababayan na makabili ng mas mura ng kanyang pangangailangan,” he added, clarifying the grounds of their appeal regarding seasonal mall-wide sales.
Coordination with Areas Outside MMDA Jurisdiction
Artes pointed out, however, that some malls contributing to recent congestion are located outside MMDA jurisdiction, particularly those along Marcos Highway in Rizal.
To address this, he said the MMDA has begun coordinating with the local governments of Cainta and Antipolo to prevent a repeat of last Saturday’s heavy gridlock in the area.
“We’ve been texting with the mayors and agreed on mutual cooperation,” he said. “We’re already making adjustments to U-turn slots on the Antipolo side to make lane transitions longer and avoid abrupt merges. We’re doing them back-to-back so the work causes only one period of disruption.”
Artes added that a memorandum of agreement is being prepared, which would allow MMDA personnel to enter certain parts of Rizal to assist in traffic management during severe congestion.
“This will allow us to coordinate and respond more effectively so traffic won’t spill over uncontrollably,” he said.
