After the suspension of transport network company (TNC) Uber Systems Inc (Uber), the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Danilo “Danny” Lim said on Thursday that travel time in major routes in the metropolis is now faster by five percent.
In a palace briefing, MMDA chairman said that the traffic has somehow improved because of the suspension of Uber’s operation.
On August 14, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) suspended Uber for one month after the agency found that the ride-hailing company violated its July 26 order to stop accrediting new drivers into their system.
According to the advisory released by the LTFRB, the board meted out the penalty of one month suspension on the accreditation of Uber and was ordered to “cause and desist” its operation of its online booking application.
The MMDA chairman said that the problem really is the volume of vehicles travelling the thoroughfares in Metro Manila.
Earlier, Uber Philippines Public Policy Head Yves Gonzales said that they had at least 66,000 activated units.
Lim, on the other hand, said that the number of units which has been suspended is too many.
“So from what we heard, ‘yung mga report — pati ‘yung data natin sa Metro Base — show na mukhang nakatulong sa pagbawas ng traffic [So from what we heard from the report, and even [saw on] our data in Metro Base, it [suspension] really helps to reduce traffic congestion,” Lim added.
According to Lim, the suspension made the traffic flow better by five percent.
However, he added that the number of vehicles continues to be a factor on the aggravating traffic condition in the Philippines.
“Well, sa mga narinig natin, mukhang lumuwag nang konti ‘yung traffic because of the [suspension ng Uber] because the problem talaga in Metro Manila is a volume problem of vehicles [Well, based on what we heard, the suspension seems to ease the traffic flow because the problem really in Metro Manila is the volume of vehicles],” he said.
“Talagang napakaraming sasakyan at ‘yung mga kalsada natin ay hindi naman nadadagdagan [There are really a lot of vehicles and our roads are not even increasing],” he added.