MANILA, Philippines – Recent suggestions to give Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic enforcers with police powers may do more harm than good, Marikina 1st District Rep. Bayani Fernando said on Wednesday.
Fernando, a former MMDA chairperson during the time of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, said MMDA enforcers do not have the training for them to be deputized with certain powers, like arresting erring motorists.
“Arrests? I would not recommend it. Because they lack the training to do that, they don’t have that skill,” he said in a press briefing at the House of Representatives.
He clarified though that traffic enforcers already have the right to issue tickets and reprimand motorists, and in other more pressing scenarios, conduct citizen arrests. But aside from that, MMDA should leave this task to police officers.
“In extreme cases, they can (arrest) like any individual, especially to protect themselves. But otherwise, it may not be necessary, it might even be bad if it will embolden them, and without restraint, it could lead to more trouble,” Fernando added.
Recently, there were calls to review the powers of the MMDA, in order for them to effectively manage the worsening traffic situation in Metro Manila, especially in Edsa.
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While Fernando is not keen on giving MMDA enforcers police powers, he sees no problem with arming them, not with guns, but with clubs or machetes. But above these solutions, he insists that one probable way to fix the traffic situation is to motivate traffic enforcers into doing their job properly, by raising their salaries.
Earlier, Minority Floor Leader and Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. called on Congress to allocate a higher budget for MMDA, amid reports that enforcers — most of them contractual workers or job orders — were only receiving around P9,000 per month. This, Abante said, makes them accept bribes motorists and leave their posts.
The MMDA and the Philippine National Police – Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) recently partnered in managing traffic in Edsa, with the HPG deploying an all-female unit to assist traffic enforcers — something which Fernando thinks is not needed.
“Leave it to the MMDA, bigyan natin ng pondo, let it hire more people, bigyan natin ng sweldo para to motivate them. I still believe guns won’t get the traffic moving,” he stressed. /muf
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