For the Metro Manila Development Authority, traffic is business. The agency collected a total of P126.267 million in traffic violation fines last year, up by P27 million compared to P99.15 million in 2016.
It attributed the increase in revenue to the good performance of men and women personnel of Traffic Discipline Office, the MMDA’s unit tasked with traffic management and enforcement in Metro Manila.
“The big increase in income from traffic in 2017 is attributable to the 63.82-percent increase in the number of traffic apprehensions,” the MMDA stated in its 2017 accomplishment report.
The report showed that the total apprehensions made last year reached 408,420, up by 255 percent than the annual target of 160,000, and 159,116 (63.82 percent) higher than the 2016 figure.
Disregarding traffic sign topped the list of top 10 violations committed by motorists on the road in 2017 with 91,843 the numbers of apprehended violators, followed by road obstruction with 73,082 and number coding with 30,474 apprehensions.
Illegal parking came in fourth with 26,110 (not towed) and 19,126 (towed vehicles), followed by loading and unloading in prohibited zone along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (11,888), truck ban (9,604), stalled vehicles (8,253), reckless driving (7,754) and private cars using the yellow lane (7,671).
The report showed that out-of-line operations listed number one in the top five administrative violations last year with 989 apprehension, followed by colorum operation (passenger) with 730 apprehension, tampering of official receipt and certificate of registration (88), colorum cargo vehicles (83) and illegal transfer of registration plates, tags and stickers (38).
The MMDA -TDO is tasked to deliver the three E’s in traffic management in the metropolis—Enforcement, Engineering and Education.
The unit has a total manpower complement of 3,232 as of December 7, 2017, of which 2,205 are assigned in traffic enforcement; 384 in traffic engineering and 19 in traffic education.
TDO also has a 308-man support group composed of the Road Emergency Group, the Towing and Impounding Division, Task Force Landas assigned in Malacañang, and the Children’s Road Safety Park.
In apprehending erring drivers, the MMDA is also implementing the no contact apprehension system by using high-definition closed-circuit television cameras installed in strategic areas in the metropolis.
MMDA chairman Danilo Lim said under the policy, the MMDA is sending summons or notice to the vehicle’s owner or operator to identify the driver of the vehicle during the time the traffic violation was captured by the CCTV camera.
The notice which will be sent to the owner or operator contains the date, time, location and traffic violation. It also contains a statement that the motorist has the right to contest before the MMDA-Traffic Adjudication Division (TAD) within seven days upon receipt of the summons.
Within 15 days from receipt of the adverse TAD resolution, the driver may still file a motion for reconsideration (MR). If the MR is denied, the driver may further file an appeal before the Office of the Chairman where the decision shall be final and executory.
“The drivers will not be able to renew the vehicle registration until the fines are settled,” said Lim.
The MMDA also hired deaf and mute individuals to assist Metro Base personnel in manning the monitors of CCTV cameras installed on major thoroughfares.
At present, there are 300 CCTV cameras placed along major thoroughfares in Metro Manila.
