Unified traffic violation ticketing system in Metro Manila eyed

LGU enforcers could soon issue LTO traffic citations through single ticketing system

When 2022 started, some cities in Metro Manila were already implementing their respective No-Contact Apprehension Program or NCAP. While the intention was good, NCAP was not without its glitches and was met with lots of criticisms from both the motoring public and some lawmakers.

On August 30, 2022, the Supreme Court of the Philippines issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against NCAP – effectively ending it and all of its forms in the meantime.

Metro Manila Single Ticketing System (STS)

NCAP has opened a can of worms so to speak. It has been brought to the motoring public’s attention that the current traffic management system that different Local Government Units (LGUs) implement are often times confusing and in most cases, prescribes exorbitant penalty fees, and it didn’t help that LGUs were also confiscating the driver’s licenses of traffic violators even though they are not legally allowed to do so.

This has led the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to propose a Single Ticketing System throughout the metro which would also lead to the streamlining of traffic rules and penalties across NCR.

Just recently, the MMDA, together with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and representatives from LGUs, conducted a Technical Working Group (TWG) workshop that discusses the establishment of an STS in Metro Manila. During the TWG, traffic violations such as Disregarding Traffic Signs (DTS), illegal parking, reckless driving, driving without a license, driving an unregistered vehicle, overspeeding, illegal counterflow, number coding, and obstruction were particularly discussed since these are the most common traffic violations of motorists, according to statistics.

Additionally, the strict implementation of RA 10054, or the Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009 was discussed, particularly, with regard to the use of helmets and substandard helmets by a lot of motorcycle riders. If it will be aligned with the LTO, the penalty for wearing a substandard helmet e.g.: a bicycle helmet while riding a motorcycle would correspond to a PHP 3,000 penalty.

According to the new LTO chief, Atty. Jay Art Tugade, all stakeholders will be consulted and the program will not be implemented without their input.

“Rest assured that all stakeholders will be consulted and their inputs will be considered so that we can properly implement this [STS] program,” says Tugade in Filipino. 

The proposed STS will definitely face a lot of challenges, especially on the streamlining part of the system, but the new LTO chief added that he’s confident that these will be addressed soon and is looking forward to full implementation early next year. Also, with the STS in place, it is very much possible that the traffic enforcers of LGUs would also be deputized by the LTO, thus, will use the latter's Temporary Operator's Permit (TOP) ticket in lieu of their Ordinance Violation Receipt (OVR), but nothing has been finalized yet.