Slowly but surely, the list of hybrid and electric vehicles is growing in the country. That also means that more of these cars are exempt from the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program, also known as the number/color coding scheme. That’s all good, but it does present a different kind of problem for the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
In a segment of ABS-CBN Teleradyo, it was pointed out that enforcers are trying to flag down these hybrids and EVs as some cannot identify which cars are exempt from coding. As a result, these traffic constables run the risk of getting hit by traffic as they try to flag down vehicles.
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In response to that, MMDA acting chairman Romando Artes said that the agency is coordinating with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and are currently requesting for a list of vehicles not covered by the UVVRP.
“Dapat po ay makipag-coordinate sa LTO kasi sila [po] yung nagse-certify kung ano po yung exempted,” said Artes.
Under Republic Act No. 11697 (Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act or EVIDA), hybrid and electric vehicles are exempt from the number coding scheme. Full hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) are not subject to UVVRP by default, so cars such as the Nissan Kicks e-Power, Toyota Corolla Cross HEV, and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV are not bound by coding rules. Even a supercar like the Ferrari 296 GTB should be exempt as it is a plug-in hybrid as it follows the spirit of the law.
However, there is a gray area when it comes to mild-hybrid electric vehicles (MHEV). Under EVIDA, Section 5 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations covers EVs (also known as battery electric vehicles or BEVs), HEVs, Light EVs (LEVs), and PHEVs. There is no mention of mild-hybrids, and the Department of Energy (DoE) stated that other types of EVs not mentioned are not included in the coding exemption.
But whether it’s a mild hybrid, a full hybrid, or fully-electric, the exempted cars will ultimately fall under the LTO’s jurisdiction. As mentioned, it is that agency’s duty to certify which vehicles are included in the exception, so if that model is on the list, then the MMDA should comply.
