The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority plans to improve public service by strengthening its relationship with local government units and other agencies in advancing the country’s digital landscape.
As part of its digitalization program, the MMDA is introducing a single ticketing system, payment channels in e-wallets, and an online portal for filing traffic-related complaints.
The implementation of the single ticketing system was approved by the Metro Manila Council, which is composed of 17 mayors in the National Capital Region, after 28 years.
The Metro Manila Traffic Code of 2023 establishes a system of interconnectivity among government instrumentalities involved in transport and traffic management, with harmonized fines and penalties.
This system will harmonize existing national and local laws on traffic enforcement to establish effective transport and traffic management in Metro Manila. It will also address the different procedures of apprehension, payment of fines, redemption of licenses and plates, and uncoordinated implementation of traffic laws that have resulted in confusion among the driving public, loss of money, and productive hours.
The MMDA is also planning to upgrade the CCTVs with facial recognition that can help with security and solving crimes.
The agency likewise presented its Communications and Command Center (CCC) in its new head office in Pasig City. The CCC features state-of-the-art facilities, including an operations center, data center, situation room, viewing room, media room, and power room. It also has new technologies such as high-definition closed-circuit television cameras, intelligent traffic signalization system, and Hytera radio smart dispatch system with built-in GPS.
MMDA acting chairman Don Artes said the MMDA CCC is the biggest, most advanced, and most cost-effective command center in the country.
“This is a major step for MMDA to make Metro Manila a safe and smart metropolis by using smart technologies and data analytics to aid the country in its economic development and strengthened security,” Artes said
The Operations Center has an ergonomic console system, environmentally designed wherein ambient noise levels are controlled. It also has a video wall system up for expansion to accommodate flood control monitoring for the Flood Control Information Center (FCIC) Effective Flood Control Operation System (EFCOS) and a video feed for body-worn cameras to be used by MMDA traffic enforcers.
The Data Center, on the other hand, is a centralized location where information and communication technology equipment is concentrated. It can accommodate 25 server racks in the future.
The MMDA CCC Situation Room can also be used by leaders and decision-makers in case of a major incident, whether man-made or natural. The activation of the Metro Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MMDRRMC) shall occur if there is an incident involving two or more cities.
The MMDA CCC will monitor 403 high-tech CCTV cameras installed across critical and major infrastructure projects in the metro (including MMDA pumping stations, bus bays, waterways, Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach) and adaptive and sensor-based traffic lights. Both are linked through the fiber optic network owned by the agency. Remote controlling and programming of the intelligent traffic signalization system, which features adaptive and sensor-based traffic lights, shall also be done in the MMDA CCC.
Another new technology in the MMDA CCC is the Hytera Radio Smart Dispatch System, a dispatch software with a built-in global positioning system (GPS) and smart map to locate traffic enforcers in real-time. It also enables communication with other radio users to relay important messages in the field in case there is a need to relay an instruction or when there is an emergency situation.