Philippines
Metro Manila
NCR cities to maintain status quo amid SC single-ticketing ruling - Zamora
NCR cities to maintain status quo amid SC single-ticketing ruling - Zamora
Since the Metro Manila Council has not received a copy of the Supreme Court's (SC) decision voiding the traffic violation receipts of local government units in the National Capital Region (NCR), San Juan City Mayor and Metro Manila Council (MMC) President Francis Zamora said they will continue the status quo and meet again to decide on their next move.
Mayor Francis Zamora
"Nag usap po kami ni Metropolitan Manila Development Autority (MMDA) Chairman Don Artes na una, magpupulong po ang Metro Manila Council, yung ating mga mayors pati syempre yung mga heads ng ating traffic and parking management office upang pag usapan ano ho ba ang magiging next move natin. Meron po tayong option na magfile ng motion for reconsideration at kung sakali naman pong sabihin ng Korte Suprema na ito po ay final and executory, of course we will respect the wisdom of the Supreme Court (I talked with MMDA Chairman Don Artes to first hold a Metro Manila Council meeting with all mayors as well the heads of our traffic and parking management offices to tackle what will be our next move such as the option to file a motion for reconsideration. If ever the Supreme Court said that the decision is final and executory, then, of course, we will respect the wisdom of the Supreme Court) Zamora said in a radio interview.
He said the council has yet to receive a copy of the decision, making it difficult fot them to know if the decision is indeed final and executory.
"So we will continue the status quo. Ibig sabihin since we have not received the official copy, tuloy pa din po ang kung ano mang mga patakaran na isinasagawa until such time na sabihin nga po ng Supreme Court na final and executory na po yan (So we will continue the status quo. This means that since we have not received the official copy, we will continue whatever rules and regulations are being implemented currently until such time the Supreme Court says the decision is final and executory)," he explained.
On March 5, the SC nullified the provisions in ordinances issued by 15 Metro Manila local government units which ordered the issuance of Ordinance Violation Receipts (OVRs) and confiscation of the licenses of drivers who violate traffic rules and regulations.
In a full court decision written by Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, the SC reversed the 2012 ruling of the Court of Appeals (CA) which declared the ordinances issued between 2003 and 2005 legal and constitutional.
Deputization
Zamora said another option the MMC is currently looking at is the deputization of the LGUs' traffic enforcers to also become MMDA traffic enforcers.
"Aminado naman po ang MMDA na limitado ang bilang ng kanilang traffic enforcers. Yes madami tayong nakikitang traffic enforcers sa mga national roads na sakop ng MMDA ngunit pano naman po ang mga inner roads within our cities? Yan naman po ang mga binabantayan ng ating local government unit traffic enforcers (The MMDA had admitted that their traffic enforcers are very limited. Yes, we are seeing a lot of traffic enforcers in national roads covered by the MMDA, but how about the inner roads within our cities? These are the roads that are being monitored by our local government unit traffic enforcers)," the mayor explained, adding that if ever these enforcers will not be given the chance to issue tickets, then who and how will the traffic inside barangays and streets within the cities be managed.
"We have to really discuss it kasi ayaw nating mangyare na magkaroon ng kaguluhan at dagdag traffic pa (We have to really discuss it because we don't want this to be the cause of confusion and additional traffic)."
"Binanggit yung single-ticketing system na opo pasado na po yung Metro Manila Traffic Code, in fact all 20 common traffic violations in Metro Manila are now standardized. Ngunit minsan sa mga LGUs, aside or separate from the 20 common traffic violations eh meron pa silang ibang mga traffic rules and regulations na ipinatutupad. Yan yung mga tatamaan naman dito sa decision na ito (The single ticketing system was declared in the decision and yes the Metro Manila Traffic Code had already been passed, in fact all 20 common traffic violations in Metro Manila are now standardized. But how about the other rules and regulations of the LGUs which are not included in the 20 common traffic violations listed in the traffic code? These are the ones to be hit in this decision)," the MMC president stressed.
On Nov. 15, the STS was officially launched in San Juan City which aims at streamlining the traffic violations and fines of the 16 cities and lone municipality comprising the National Capital Region (NCR).
The program also allows violators to pay their fines using e-wallets and other digital payment platforms on the spot, preventing the need for them to proceed to the city hall to pay for their violation.
READ MORE:https://mb.com.ph/2023/11/14/sa-wakas-single-ticketing-system-launched-in-san-juan