Monthly traffic violations increased from 9,500 to 32,000 in May after the implementation of the No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) was suspended, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said Wednesday.
“Noong bago ma-suspend ang NCAP, nasa 9,500 ang average per month ng mga taong lumalabag po sa batas trapiko,” MMDA spokesperson Melissa Carunungan said in a televised public briefing.
(Before the NCAP was suspended, around 9,500 average traffic violators were being reported.)
“Pagkatapos naman ma-suspend ang NCAP, tumaas sa susunod na buwan ng 22,000 at noong Mayo umabot naman ng 32,000 na po ang violations,” she added.
(After the NCAP was suspended, the traffic violations were 22,000 the following month and last May it reached 32,000.)
NCAP is a policy that uses closed-circuit television, digital cameras, gadgets, or technology to capture videos and images of vehicles violating traffic laws.
In a Facebook post, the MMDA said 256,977 traffic violations have been reported since the suspension of NCAP in August 2022. These violations include disregarding traffic signs, number coding, loading/unloading, obstruction, dress code, attended illegal parking, Anti-distracted Driving Act, reckless driving, and no crash helmet.
MMDA Acting chairman Atty. Don Artes reminded motorists to observe traffic laws and that traffic violations are still being monitored through CCTVs despite the suspension of NCAP.
Single ticketing system
Meanwhile, Carunugan said the implementation of the single ticketing system would address issues surrounding NCAP.
“Ma-aadress na ang halos na lahat ng concerns kapag full rollout na ng Single Ticketing System (All concerns will be addressed one the single ticketing system is fully rolled out),” Carunungan told GMA News Online.
She made the statement when asked about the steps being undertaken by the MMDA to address the glitches in the NCAP while the case regarding the policy is still pending in the Supreme Court.
Carunungan said the contest mechanism is simplified and the period for payment or protest is expanded.
With the single ticketing system, the penalties for 20 most common traffic violations are standardized.
She added that the MMDA also has an ongoing project to update CCTV cameras with high resolution and add rear facing cameras to see the rear license plates of vehicles like motorcycles.
The single ticketing system aims to establish a uniform policy on traffic violations and penalty system in Metro Manila. It would also help cut red tape, limit opportunities for corruption, and eradicate forms of negotiations between the motorist and the apprehending officer, according to the MMDA.
On May 2, the dry run of the single ticketing system in the National Capital Region started.
In August 2022, the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against NCAP that was being implemented by some local government units in Metro Manila.
This was after several transport groups filed a petition against local ordinances related to the NCAP in Manila, Quezon City, Valenzuela, Muntinlupa, and Parañaque.
According to Carunungan, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) is working on their case regarding the suspended policy. —KBK/RSJ, GMA Integrated News
