Standardized traffic citations in Metro Manila eyed
Motorists are seen enduring the heavy traffic along Edsa in this file photo taken in November 2021. (File photo by JONATHAN VICENTE / INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila mayors will finalize next year the list of standardized traffic violations and their corresponding fines under the single ticketing scheme, which will also include a demerit system for erring motorists.
San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, president of the Metro Manila Council, told reporters on Tuesday that 20 common violations of motorists would be included in the new system.
“For example, before, beating the red light corresponds to different fines in San Juan and Pasig. But now, with a standardized system, the same fine for a specific violation will be imposed in all cities,” Zamora clarified.
Under the single ticketing scheme, violators won’t have to surrender their licenses to traffic enforcers.
Instead, they can pay the fine at physical payment centers or through digital payment channels anywhere in the country.
“The biggest convenience with the new system is that they won’t need to come back to the local government where the violation occurred to pay the fine,” added Zamora.
But he also warned erring motorists that even without license confiscation, they cannot refuse to pay their fines.
“If you refuse to pay the fine, the amount that you would need to pay will increase over time because you’re hiding from the law. Or if you think you don’t have to pay because you’re not renewing your license anytime soon, you would need to pay a big amount by the time you need to renew your license in the future,” he said.
