MMDA to re-implement ‘no-contact policy’

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will re-implement on April 15 its “no-contact apprehension policy” on erring motorists on the major roads of Metro Manila, including EDSA, the C-5 Road and Commonwealth Avenue.

MMDA chairman Emerson Carlos said the no-contact apprehension policy would cover drivers of private and public utility vehicles.

Carlos said passenger bus drivers and operators have initially expressed opposition to the policy after fearing that the policy would only be directed against buses.

“Reluctant sila kasi hindi pa nila alam sa una yung process. Hindi lang naman bus ang covered nito. Lahat ng vehicles covered. Akala nila mga bus lang,” he said.

Carlos said the MMDA would be making use of closed circuit television cameras (CCTVs) positioned on the roads and on cameras held by traffic enforcers in catching images of erring motorists.

He cited the success of the no-contact policy in the MMDA’s drive against speeding motorists along Commonwealth and Diosdado Macapagal avenues in 2011.

“There had been piles of summons regarding the violations caught with the no-contact policy on my desk which proved its effectiveness,” the MMDA chair said.

Carlos added that the traffic violation receipt for the MMDA’s no-contact policy had never been questioned before the courts.

He said the MMDA’s no contact policy was shelved during the time of former MMDA chief Bayani Fernando because apprehended motorists were required to first pay their fine first before they are allowed to contest the apprehension during adjudication.

“But with the new guidelines, we let the motorists to contest the violations,” Carlos said. He added that all of the motorists who received the summons have not questioned apprehension.

Meanwhile, the MMDA has installed additional CCTV cameras in strategic areas in Metro Manila for its no-contact apprehension operation.

It would be recalled that the MMDA had previously implemented the no-contract policy during Fernando’s term as the “Non-Contact Traffic Apprehension Program (NCTAP).”  The NPCP was approved under Fernando’s term for a six-month experimental run starting July 23, 2009.

It was revived during the time of then MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino to catch speeding motorists along Commonwealth and Diosdado Macapagal avenues.

According to Carlos, the no-contact policy aims to prevent extortion in the ranks of traffic enforcers.

Under the policy, an erring motorist caught by the CCTV camera will be sent a notice by the MMDA giving him or her seven days from receipt to pay his or her corresponding fines or file an appeal of the apprehension for review.

The MMDA’s notice contains the image or photo clip of the vehicle of the erring driver while in the act of violating traffic rules. The notice will also detail the date, time, location and the nature of the traffic infraction.

After the lapse of the seven-day period and the notice has not been settled, the MMDA will then send the motorist a final notice informing him or her to immediately settle his or her citation ticket.

The MMDA will then forward the driver’s license number of the motorist to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) if payment has not been made after the receipt of the final notice.

The non-paying motorist will not be able to renew his or her driver’s license with the LTO in the future until he or she has paid his traffic dues.