METRO Manila Development Authority officer-in-charge Thomas Orbos ordered the deployment of more than 100 personnel to launch a crackdown against jaywalking and littering in the metropolis.
“We want to continue to instill discipline among pedestrians and commuters alike. Following rules and regulations on the roads should be second nature to us all,” said Orbos.
He said he wants the stringent implementation of the anti-littering and anti-jaywalking measures to ensure that pedestrians and commuters alike in Metro Manila follow the law.
The latest operation resulted in the apprehension of a total of 440 persons, 306 of them for anti-littering and 134 for anti-jaywalking.
More than the P500 fine, the MMDA is reminding the public of the stiff consequence of these violations as the names of violators will be forwarded to the National Bureau of Investigation for inclusion in its alarm list or red flag unless they pay the penalty for their infractions.
Further, their names may be included in the NBI’s hold departure order.
Last year, an overseas Filipino worker bound for Singapore was stopped by immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport because of an arrest warrant issued by a Makati Metropolitan Trial Court for failing to settle his anti-littering violation.
Orbos noted the alarming number of pedestrians who have run over and died while crossing busy thoroughfares such as Commonwealth Avenue, which earned the monicker “killer highway.”
Each anti-littering team consists of four spotters and an enforcer while the anti-jaywalking unit is composed of five enforcers, two of whom are armed with citation tickets.
The composite teams are augmented by members of the MMDA’s Sidewalk Clearing Operations Group.
The composite group will be in designated fixed posts in Monumento, SM North, Cubao area, Ortigas district, Edsa-Taft, Guadalupe area and Coastal Road.
The MMDA stated that despite the huge amount of taxpayers’ money that had gone into the construction of footbridges, people continued to cross busy streets and dangerous portions of the roads where they are not supposed to.
The agency also observed that undisciplined pedestrians openly disregard pedestrian lanes and warning signage.