Navigation app Waze gave out notifications to its users in the Philippines reminding them that today is the day that MMDA will conduct the Shakedrill 2015 in preparation for the expected earthquake in the country. They listed down the places as well as the time that specific roads will be closed.
Below are the planned closures for today, July 30, 2015, and their corresponding times:
Apolinario Mabini – 09:00-11:59
Roxas Blvd Service Rd – 09:00-11:59
Exchange Rd – 18:00-23:59
San Miguel Ave – 18:00-23:59
Pearl Dr – 18:00-23:59
North – 10:30-11:30
Parkway Dr – 10:30-11:30
East – 10:30-11:30
West – 10:30-11:30
Marcelo H del Pilar – 09:00-11:59
Jade Dr – 18:00-23:59
Dona Julia Vargas Ave – 18:00-23:59
Lourdes – 18:00-23:59
In addition, using the app will guide motorists to their destinations and evade these blocked roads.
Yesterday, in a phone patch interview for the morning show Unang Hirit, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief and Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Assistant Secretary Alfonso “Aljun” Tan claimed that the agency was never delayed in issuing car plates for newly-registered vehicles.
During the interview, Tan said that the LTO has been able to issue Official Receipt (OR), Certification of Registration (CR), as well as the car plates within seven days, provided that the necessary documents have already been forwarded to the agency.
He added that car dealers should already have the Certificate of Stock Report (CSR) on hand by the time the importer and manufacturer ships the vehicles.
“Yung Certificate of Stock Report ay issued din ho ng LTO sa mga manufacturers at importers. Kasi kung titignan niyo po ang batas, dapat by the time na mapadala ng manufacturer o importer ang sasakyan sa isang dealer, dapat may kasama narin na CSR. Ang nangyayari, nauuna ang sasakyan, nahuhuli ang dokumento,” Tan said.
With that being said, Tan believes that there’s really no excuse for car owners to travel without registration and car plate, and that both the DOTC and LTO were implementing the law when they re-imposed the “No-Plate, No-Travel” policy at the beginning of this month.
Under the new LTO rule, car owners who are unable to provide the necessary registration documents will be fined with Php10,000 and an additional Php1,000 for those who will be caught driving an unregistered vehicle.
On the other hand, car owners who are able to show the OR and CR but are travelling without a license plate will still be fined with Php5,000 for the said offense.
The “No Plate, No Travel” policy was slammed by the motoring community and several organizations, including the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) which earlier stated, through Chairman Francis Tolentino, that the policy is “unconstitutional” and that the agency will not cooperate with the LTO in enforcing it.
While not going as far as calling the policy unconstitutional, representatives from various organizations such as Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI), the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP), as well as Richie Javier, the general manager of Ford Global City and Ford Manila have expressed their respective dismay over the policy.
Both Javier and CAMPI’s President Rommel Gutierrez are not at all on board with the LTO Chief’s claim that the agency was never late in giving out license plates. In their respective statements, they told the GMA New Online folks that dealers and new car owners should not be penalized for LTO’s shortcoming.
Javier said that “they (LTO) couldn’t process any registrations because the system was not up, and naturally, it will create a backlog,” pertaining to the system upgrade that agency has done from January of this year until the midway point of February. The LTO also did not process any registration on the latter part of December to give way for the Christmas break which, according to Javier, all of the backlog started.
MMDA today has conducted a test run for the prototype of MMDA’s River Bus Ferry to be used in transporting commuters along the 25-kilometer Pasig River. If everything goes well we could be seeing about 40 of these hybrids by April 2014.
Though it didn’t work out back in 2011 mainly due to financial losses, the service is being revived this year as part of helping decongest the traffic in Metro Manila due to the major road constructions that are simultaneously going on.
The ferry hybrid was originally a tug boat installed with bus seats that can now accommodate up to 40 people. When this pushes through and becomes operational sometime in April, people would just have to pay a minimal fare to ride the ferry that would be passing through Manila, Makati, Mandaluyong, and Pasig City.
Hopefully, the re-implementation of these ferries would help lessen the congestion that we’re experiencing today — more so during rush hour. It was reported that the river’s width has an equivalent of 10 road lanes so if that’s going to be utilized well, coupled by an efficient system, I personally think they’re up to something really good here.
It’s just up to the public if they would ride the ferries as previous complaints include that unpleasant Pasig River smell.
MMDA yesterday has conducted a test run for the prototype of MMDA’s River Bus Ferry to be used in transporting commuters along the 25-kilometer Pasig River. If everything goes well we could be seeing about 40 of these hybrids by April 2014.
Though it didn’t work out back in 2011 mainly due to financial losses, the service is being revived this year as part of helping decongest the traffic in Metro Manila due to the major road constructions that are simultaneously going on.
The ferry hybrid was originally a tug boat installed with bus seats that can now accommodate up to 40 people. When this pushes through and becomes operational sometime in April, people would just have to pay a minimal fare to ride the ferry that would be passing through Manila, Makati, Mandaluyong, and Pasig City.
Hopefully, the re-implementation of these ferries would help lessen the congestion that we’re experiencing today — more so during rush hour. It was reported that the river’s width has an equivalent of 10 road lanes so if that’s going to be utilized well, coupled by an efficient system, I personally think they’re up to something really good here.
It’s just up to the public if they would ride the ferries as previous complaints include that unpleasant Pasig River smell.
Automated Weather Stations in 18 Caltex stations share weather data online
When rain starts pouring, the thought of wading through floods or getting stuck in traffic worry people the most as they make their way home. But there’s help with near real-time data that anybody can access for free to avoid being stuck in traffic caused by floods.
In a project called Metro Weather, Caltex is helping people survive severe weather conditions by hosting Automated Weather Stations (AWS, photo above) in 18 Caltex stations out of 30 sites spread throughout Metro Manila. Accurate weather data from the AWS can be accessed free at www.metroweather.com.ph or www.weatherlink.com/map.php.
Smartphone users can also download the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) application at www.mmda.gov.ph to get the twin benefits of traffic and weather data.
The AWS, located in flood-prone areas identified by the MMDA, collects and stores weather data that show, among others, intensity of rainfall that can indicate flooding. “The 18 Caltex-hosted AWS units, all maintained by the Caltex stations, are part of Chevron’s commitment to public safety and environmental awareness,” said Raissa Bautista, manager of Policy, Gov’t and Public Affairs, Chevron Philippines Inc., the marketer of high quality Caltex brand of fuels and lubricants.
This project is being implemented in collaboration with the other Metro Weather project partners namely the Manila Observatory, Globe Telecom, MMDA, and the Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU).
Automated Weather Stations in 18 Caltex stations share weather data online