THE Metro Manila Development Authority earned about P20 million in additional revenue since it began implementing last April the so-called No Contact Apprehension Policy against motorists violating traffic rules and regulations in Metro Manila.
Based on the latest report released by the agency’s Public Information Office, the highest number of apprehended motorists was made in August when 9,735 drivers were caught violating MMDA traffic rules.
More than 40,000 motorists were apprehended in nine months, the MMDA report stated.
The month of July was recorded with the second highest number of apprehensions with 5,542 followed by the month of June with 4,271.
The policy was first implemented during the time of then MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando in 2007 but the agency discontinue the practice following numerous complaint from motorists who claimed they were penalized without their knowledge.
The Metro Manila Council, the MMDA’s governing board and policy-making body, in 2002 approved Resolution 02-49 citing the need to improve the system of apprehending traffic violators without any contact with traffic enforcers through the use of digital cameras.
“Physical contact between the traffic enforcer and the driver during apprehension is an open invitation for graft and corruption,” the MMC cited this as one of the reasons in coming up with the resolution.
Under the new MMC resolution, the MMDA sends summons or notices to the vehicle’s owners or operators to identify the driver of the vehicle during the time the violation that was captured by the CCTV camera.
The notice which will be sent to the owner or operator contains the date, time, location and traffic violation. It also contains a statement that the motorist has the right to contest before the MMDA-Traffic Adjudication Division within seven days upon receipt of the summons.
Within 15 days from receipt of the adverse TAD resolution, the driver may still file a motion for reconsideration. If the MR is denied, the driver may further file an appeal before the Office of the Chairman where the decision shall be final and executory.
The driver will not be able to renew the vehicle registration until the fines are settled.
MMDA acting chairman Thomas Orbos hired deaf and mute individuals to assist them manning the monitors of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed on major thoroughfares used in the policy.
Since then, Orbos said, the apprehensions has increased from 70 to 280 on a daily basis since the agency hired those individuals.
“These people are very good. It really works and very effective in assisting us in apprehending violators in the number coding scheme and other measures we are implementing,” he said.
Most of the violators were caught for overspeeding, illegal parking, disregarding the no loading and unloading zone, beating the red light, swerving, blocking intersections, disregarding traffic signs, making illegal turns, illegal overtaking, entering the yellow lane, defying the closed-door policy and bus segregation scheme, motorcycle lane, among others.
The MMDA has a total 45 personnel manning the Metro Base—five persons per shift in charge of monitoring footbridges for vendors, road incidents, traffic video wall operations while 10 persons per shift in charge of monitoring the operations of the no contact policy.
At present, there are 250 CCTV cameras installed in strategic areas in Metro Manila and being used by the MMDA in its No Contact Policy in apprehending violators of traffic rules and regulations.