Mayors making up the Metro Manila Council (MMC) have agreed with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to implement a single ticketing system by the first quarter of 2023 that standardizes traffic violation fines in the National Capital Region.
The mayors also agreed to impose a moratorium on the confiscation of driver’s licenses of traffic violators, as well as the interconnectivity with the LTO to quickly identify drivers with multiple violations, the MMDA said on Saturday in a media briefing.
The agency’s technical working group said the new system will harmonize the payment of penalties that are expected to be implemented by the first quarter of 2023.
Once effective, motorists may already settle their fine in the local government unit (LGU) where they reside even if they committed the traffic violation in another area.
The new system will also standardize the traffic violation fine, putting an end to the different amounts of fines imposed by different LGUs and by the MMDA.
Drivers’ licenses will no longer be confiscated as details of erring motorists will only be listed by the traffic enforcer and forwarded to the LTO.
Motorists will also be given 10 days to settle the penalty through digital wallets or payment centers registered with the LTO’s Land Transportation Management System, before it gains interest. The license will be confiscated if it has 10 unsettled violations.
unified…MMDA Acting Chairman Romando Artes said the mayors heeded to the call of Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos regarding confiscation of driver’s license of erring motorists.
Abalos expressed his gratitude to the NCR mayors for adhering to his appeal concerning driver’s license confiscation.
“I thank the Metro Manila mayors for heeding to my appeal. I would also like to reiterate that we maintain the authority of the LTO to confiscate driver’s license as the leading law enforcement agency in implementing traffic laws and the safety of the motoring public,” said Abalos.
For his part, LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Jay Art Tugade said it laid down the technical requirements for the MMDA and LGUs authorized to issue traffic violation tickets to tag and record traffic violations.
“Once the single ticketing system is finalized, the LTO will strictly implement its demerit point system to be able to properly monitor driver’s license records. License should only be issued to deserving and qualified drivers,” Tugade noted.
Artes added that no driver’s license shall be confiscated while the LTO is working on its interconnectivity.
“Every LGU in NCR will pass an ordinance on this matter. For now, the existing ordinance/traffic laws of each LGU shall prevail. Subject to the passage of an ordinance, they are allowed to continue to confiscate driver’s licenses of erring motorists,” Artes noted.
Meanwhile, Artes said the agency, along with the LTO and 17 LGUs in Metro Manila, are still finalizing the integration of the single ticketing system.
Under the system, it will be easier and convenient for traffic violators in the metropolis to settle the penalties through Bayad Centers.
“We are finalizing the guidelines for the single ticketing system which includes the establishment of traffic adjudication court per LGU, incontestability of traffic violations, among others,” Artes said.
“We will have a 5th technical working group meeting that aims to enforce interconnectivity among the LGUs in Metro Manila.”
The single ticketing system is targeted to be implemented in the first quarter of 2023.