It's final! MMDA says electric vehicles exempt from number coding

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) reiterated that electric vehicles (EV) are no longer covered by number-coding schemes.

In an Oct. 5, 2022 memorandum, MMDA Traffic Discipline Office director Victor Nunez said all MMDA enforcers are “hereby directed to refrain from apprehending and issuing UVVRP citations to electric vehicles.” A copy of this particular memorandum was obtained by Autofun.ph from Richard M. Cajucom of the Electric Vehicle Owners of the Philippines Facebook group. MMDA spokesperson Atty. Melissa Carunungan has verified the same document.

Nunez was referring to the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP), which prohibits certain vehicles on the road based on the last digit of their license plate.

Under Republic Act (R.A.) 11697 or the “Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act,” which lapsed into law on Apr. 15, 2022, EVs are exempted from all number-coding schemes until April 2030.

However, EV owners have complained that they continue to be apprehended by the MMDA for number-coding violations. Cajucom is encouraging EVOP members and EV owners to print a copy of the memorandum to show MMDA and LGU traffic rule enforcers in case they are flagged for number coding violations.

R.A. 11697 seeks to promote the purchase and manufacturing of EVs in the Philippines through various incentives, mandatory EV parking slots and charging stations, and quotas for public and private EV fleets.