LTO eyes implementing single ticketing system on Q1 2023
MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) wants to implement its proposed single ticketing system in Metro Manila in the first quarter of 2023, its chief Jose Arturo Tugade said on Tuesday.
Tugade said the agency is still holding consultative meetings with different stakeholders, but it has already drafted a memorandum circular and is just waiting for feedback.
“Ang target natin sa single ticketing system is first quarter ng 2023,” he said in a public briefing.
(We want to implement it by the first quarter of next year.)
The proposed system aims to harmonize the definition of traffic violations and their subsequent fines. Under the single ticketing system, traffic violators will pay a standard amount regardless of where the traffic violation was committed.
Tugade said this would do away with different amounts of fines imposed by other local government units in Metro Manila and by government agencies authorized to issue tickets, such as the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
The system will also allow the government to monitor drivers’ performance via a “common demerit point system.”
“This will really improve the traffic situation dahil kaakibat ng pag-implement natin ng single ticketing system, mamo-monitor na natin at malalagyan natin ng demerit points ‘yung mga erring motorists natin,” he said.
(By implementing this, we can monitor the erring drivers and give them corresponding demerit points.)
“By doing this, the idea is to relieve our roads from irresponsible drivers,” Tugade added.
The LTO chief, however, clarified that the intention of the proposed system is not to increase the amount of fines but to harmonize it.
“Ang intention is not to increase the penalty but to have a penalty that will serve as a deterrent para doon sa mga motorista na ‘wag na silang magdalawang-isip na hindi sumunod sa ating batas trapiko,” he said.
(The intention is not to increase the penalty but to have a penalty that will prevent motorists from committing traffic violations.)
