LTO-7 deputizes 60 new agents

CEBU, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office-7 has recently added 60 more deputized agents to ensure road safety is being implemented by motorists in the Central Visayas region.

LTO-7 regional director Glen Galario said that this is in addition to the existing 81 deputized agents in the region capable of implementing Republic Act 4136, otherwise known as the Land Transportation Code of the Philippines, and other traffic laws, rules, and regulations.

Galario said that these new deputized agents are from the different district and extension offices of the agency in the region.

“These are existing personnel of LTO-7 from our district and extension offices in the region trained for deputization and are now able to utilize our electronic Temporary Operator's Permit handheld mobile devices," said Galario, in a statement.

Galario added that these personnel underwent the two-day training in Cebu where they were also given the chance to do immersion before they can fully operate in their geographical area of responsibility (GAOR).

Galario himself was pleased to meet all these new deputized agents during their Regional Deputation Training and Retooling in the Operation, and Utilization of Electronic Temporary Operator's Permit (e-TOP) Handheld Mobile Device.

Galario said that this is one of their programs that will strengthen the enforcement capabilities of LTO-7.

“We have been strictly implementing our traffic laws with our roadside inspections and I know we can do more with these new deputized agents," said Galario, adding that weekly random checkpoints are in place in the most strategic locations in the region.

As of August 2023, LTO-7 has a total of 141 deputized personnel, 64 of which are from the different enforcement agencies such as the Philippine National Police and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

In May 2023, the Department of Transportation and the World Health Organization together with road safety partners launched the Philippine Road Safety Action Plan 2023-2028.

The Philippine Road Safety Action Plan 2023-2028 seeks to reduce the number of road traffic deaths in the country by 35 percent in 2028.

Among its five pillars are road safety management, safer roads, safer vehicles, safer road users, and post-crash response.

Based on the 10-year data of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) from 2011 to 2021, road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among Filipinos 15-29 years old and is said to be a major killer among children. —  (FREEMAN)