LAND Transportation Office (LTO) chief Vigor Mendoza II on Monday instructed all regional directors to coordinate with various government agencies for the mandatory removal of sirens, blinkers, and similar devices attached to vehicles that are not authorized to use them.
He said the coordination would pave the way for the accounting of government-owned and private motor vehicles belonging to government employees and officials that have such devices but are not included in the list of those allowed to use them under Administrative Order 18.
“I take this opportunity to appeal to our fellow government workers to voluntarily remove these gadgets in compliance with the directive of our Chief Executive, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,” he noted.
Under Section 1 of the order, all government officials and personnel are prohibited from utilizing sirens, blinkers, and other similar gadgets that produce exceptionally loud or startling sounds, including dome lights, blinkers, or other similar signaling or flashing devices.
Section 2 of the order stated that sirens, blinkers, and other similar devices shall not be used unless in clearly appropriate circumstances, and only by motor vehicles designated for official use by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Bureau of Investigation, and Philippine National Police, and fire trucks, hospital ambulances, and other emergency vehicles.
Mendoza said they are now coordinating with the DOTr in coordination with other concerned agencies for the review, evaluation, and updating of existing policies and guidelines to ensure the effective implementation of AO 18.
On the part of the private vehicles, he said they are now coordinating with the PNP and other law enforcement agencies to apprehend violators.
He welcomed the issuance of the order, saying the LTO has been receiving complaints even before, especially from netizens, regarding allegations of abuses committed by vehicles with sirens and blinkers.
AO No. 18, he said, is a big help in instilling road courtesy and discipline and eventually the safety of all road users.