The Metro Manila Development Authority has seized about 150 vehicles during its first day of intensified campaign against illegal parking along Mabuhay Lanes.
The agency started on Friday its “tow-truck less” operations and catch illegally parked vehicles by merely giving citation tickets to drivers, or attach the tickets to their windshields if the vehicle is unattended.
“We have started enforcing this and there was already an estimated 50 percent increase in the numbers of vehicles apprehended along Mabuhay Lanes,” said MMDA chief information officer Sharon Gentalian.
According to the MMDA, the campaign, is aimed to alleviate traffic flows along the 23.8-kilometer Edsa and secondary roads in the metropolis in anticipation of the heavy traffic this “ber” months or holiday season.
MMDA task force supervising officer Edison Nebrija said the secondary roads is being used as Mabuhay Lanes, or alternate routes for private motorists to avoid Edsa (north and southbound directions).
“Tow-truck less operation starting today [is] a lot faster, more coverage and hopefully less to zero on road altercations and arguments between drivers and enforcers,” said Nebrija.
He said the MMDA will continue to remind motorists and concerned residents that the alternate routes for Edsa should be free of any form of road obstructions from 6 am to 9 pm everyday.
“We should educate them that these alternate routes should be free of obstructions during these times," said MMDA general manager Jose Arturo Garcia.
Garcia said traffic enforcers were instructed to issue at least three citation tickets with corresponding penalty against violators. A fine of P200 for violating the illegal parking rule, P150 for disregarding traffic signs and P150 for obstruction.
“This is the agency’s response to hard-headed vehicle owners who defy the MMDA’s illegal parking rules,” said Garcia.
To decrease incidents of corruption and illegal towing activities, the MMDA is not using towing services along Mabuhay Lanes but will use them on inner roads upon the request of local government units in Metro Manila.
The MMDA is also set to reimpose numerous measures in the National Capital Region in line with the government program to ease traffic in the metropolis as the Christmas season draws near.
Among these measures are the moratorium on road diggings, no delivery of goods during daytime, no mall sales and other crowd-drawing events during weekdays, and the adjusted mall operating hours from the usual 10 am to 9 pm to 11 am to 11 pm.
The MMDA said that historically, the volume of vehicles swells on Edsa by 10 to 15 percent during the “ber months.” Shopping malls and other commercial establishments located along Edsa are traffic generators during the Christmas holidays.
At least 16 malls and shopping centers are located along Edsa.
MMDA study showed that delivery trucks and container vans loaded with goods, imported items and other salable merchandise, piled up the streets of Metro Manila, which the government claimed, add to the traffic.
The study also showed that shopping malls usually hold sales during payday weekends, reducing vehicle speeds around malls to five kilometers per hour from 20 kph. It also showed that “midnight sales” or extended mall business hours contribute to the worsened traffic in the metropolis during the Yuletide season.
Meanwhile, the agency also urged a woman on a viral dance called “Kiki Challenge” along EDSA to make a public apology.
“Kung sino ka man, magpunta ka dito humingi ka ng paumanhin. Sabihin mo sa buong madla na huwag kang gayahin. Napakasama po yan, lalo na kung may mga batang nanonood. ’Di po maganda ’yan [Whoever you are, you report to us and make an apology. Tell the public that they should not imitate you. This is a bad example, especially to kids who might be watching. This is not good),” MMDA general manager Jojo Garcia said in a press briefing Thursday.
Garcia urged the public not to do the viral dance challenge as it puts the safety of motorists and pedestrians at risk.
The MMDA is coordinating with the National Bureau of Investigation in locating the girl who was identified as a certain Micha Anne Gabuten.
Gabuten uploaded the video on Aug. 28 but it was deleted after it became viral. Her social media accounts have also been deactivated.
Garcia said Gabuten will also be slapped with a fine of P500 for violating the Anti-Jaywalking Act while the driver of the vehicle will be fined P500 for reckless driving.
If found to be the one taking the video, the driver will likewise be charged with violation of the Anti-Distracted Driving Act.
The MMDA earlier warned that motorists participating in the “Kiki Challenge” will be slapped with a fine of P2,500. Their licenses will also be confiscated and they will undergo a driving seminar.
Meanwhile, the NBI Cybercrime Division and its Digital Forensics office have begun the process of identifying the girl in the “Kiki Challenge” dance video.
"We will use the full force of the NBI to establish the identity and locate the girl in the video," said Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin, NBI spokesperson.
The Department of Transportation said the “Kiki Challenge” violates the Anti-Distracted Driving Act, which entails fines ranging from P5,000 to P15,000. With PNA