Lest we forget, the No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) still rages on.
In the last oral argument at the Supreme Court on Dec. 6, proponents of the program found an ally in the Office of the Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, who requested the lifting of the temporary restraining order against NCAP.
The OSG, on behalf of the Land Transportation Office and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, requested the lifting of TRO before the next oral argument on Jan. 24, 2024.
Individual petitioners and transport groups petitioned against the NCAP, questioning its constitutionality, readiness, heavy fines, and other loopholes in the hasty implementation of the program, especially by several Local Governments Units in Metro Manila.
In his argument, Gueverra said: “The right to use vehicles on public roads is a privilege. That privilege comes not only with a duty to ensure the safety of pedestrians and travelers but also with our collective obligation to ensure that our roads continue to serve the ends of our national economy and benefit every one of us.
“Our concerned national regulatory agencies and local governments have joined hands to ensure this privilege is not abused.
“Through the NCAP, they have established a mechanism to manage traffic and hold accountable those who abuse their privilege to use our roads. We, therefore, implore this Most Honorable Court to find the NCAP in accord with our laws.”
Meanwhile, a private think tank Stratbase-ADRI has commissioned Pulse Asia to survey the will of the people; it came up with a result that eight of 10 Filipinos favor NCAP.
The majority of responders to the survey believed that “NCAP will be effective in achieving its objective of disciplining motorists to improve road safety.”
Again, before we lost the objective of the TRO, let’s go back to the point of some who are against the hasty implementation of the NCAP.
They are not opposing NCAP as a whole, rather it is just questioning the lack of studies, abusive and hefty fines, and corrective infrastructure that should go alongside the program.
There is only one overall objective here: to make the road safer but not to the detriment of the motorists and poor riders who fall victim to faulty implementation of the program.
Imagine a poor rider having to pay P70,000 for NCAP fines because of huge interest.
While in suspension, are the LGUs making adjustments and corrections to their policy in question?
Is there any ongoing infrastructure like putting timers on traffic lights covered by NCAP?
Are the traffic lines being repainted?
Yes, we all support NCAP but let it serve its primary purpose of putting order on the road rather than just a money-making scheme for the few.