Color Coding For Cars in Metro Manila

You make " color coding " for cars in Metro Manila sound like a completely normal thing for a city of country to implement. Color coding for cars is ridiculous.

Every other country that wants to control the number of vehicles entering a congested city center simply says, " pay a little for the privilege ", in that way the Municipal Government receives extra revenues to help maintain the road and other infrastructures. But not Metro Manila: Oh no! Metro Manila says you can't use your car on certain days, which means that if you have an active business or other regular needs you must buy a second car or pay exorbitant fees to rent a car ... money to a few individuals in private enterprise not the Municipal, that is why most of the roads still have pot holes and broken concrete.

You say you " believe Makati City does not have window hours " on color coding days, I can tell you from experience that Makati City DEFINITELY does not have window hours on color coded days.

However, it is possible to drive along EDSA as it passes through Makati City, during the window of 10.00am and 3.00pm, on color coding days. BUT start your journey with ample time to spare otherwise you could find yourself still sitting in congested traffic on EDSA when the window slams shut and the crocodiles (oops, sorry, should I have said Traffic Enforcers) come out to feast on the luckless.

Color coding for cars in Metro Manila was a creation of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) designed to hold back development and instead pander to the few owners of car companies and rent-a-car agencies in preference to answering the needs of the driving public. Even the title " color coding " is ridiculous, our number plates are all the same color (unless you are "diplomatic" and then no rules apply ever), it's the numbers that are different.

Just found out the list of those low number plates people have:

President of the Republic of the Philippines and/or PANGULO 1
Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines 2
Senate President 3
Speaker of the House Representatives 4
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court 5
Cabinet Secretary 6
Senator 7
Congressman 8
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court 9
Presiding Justice and other Justices of the Court of Appeals 10
Chairman of the Commission on Elections 11
Cabinet Undersecretary 12
Solicitor General 13
Chief of Staff, AFP/Chief, PNP 14
RTC Judges 16

And the latest is number 17

Those that can use the “17” license plate are judges of the Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC), Metropolitan Trial Court in the Cities (MTCC), Municipal Trial Court (MTC), and Sha’ria Court.

These low-numbered/protocol plates shall be issued in pairs for motor vehicles duly registered in the name of the above listed officials or to their respective spouses. However, not more than two pairs of the said license plates for issuance to two (2) motor vehicles shall be assigned to any of the said officials with the exception of the President of the Philippines, the Vice President of the Philippines, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Senators and Congressmen of the Philippines may be assigned not more than four (4) pairs of low-numbered/protocol plates.

So if you get run over by one of these cars you will never know which car ran you over..

Still don't understand the use of the police escorts by the mayors and other people.

I was sure this was made illegal previously the same with those beautiful Lights and Sirens you see on all those newly purchased 4WD's