Tolentino suggests lowering technology as traffic enforcers ‘not capacitated’ on RFID

Sen. Francis “Tol” Tolentino during a Senate proceeding. Senate PRIB photo / Voltaire F. Domingo

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Francis Tolentino on Wednesday suggested lowering the Land Transportation Office’s (LTO) technology as traffic enforcers still do not have the full capacity to use the radio-frequency identification (RFID) device.

During the Senate committee on justice and human rights hearing, LTO chief Jose “Jay Art” Tugade said that plate numbers are paired with an RFID wherein vehicle details will appear once scanned.

However, he said that their RFID reader is limited.

“Unfortunately, our law enforcers are not capacitated. Wala po silang capability ngayon. Meron pong tayong ni-rollout a few weeks ago sa LTO, ito po ‘yung mobile handheld device. Although limited lang rin po siya, it has the capability of reading the RFID na naka-install po sa vehicle,” Tugade said.

(Unfortunately, our law enforcers are not capacitated. They do not have the capability as of now. We rolled out a mobile handheld device a few weeks ago in LTO. Although it is limited,  it has the capability of reading the RFID installed in vehicles.)

Senator Francis Tolentino, panel chairperson, then suggested lowering the LTO’s technology.

“Wala bang capability ang LTO o kung sino ‘yung RFID provider na mag low tech tayo ng kaunti? QR code. May katabing QR code ‘yung RFID para kahit sa probinsya ang gagamitin ay cell phone na lang. ‘Pag pitik ng traffic enforcer, kita na ‘yung mga information,” Tolentino raised.

(Does the LTO or your RFID provider have the capability to lower the technology? QR code. RFIDs have QR code beside it so that only cell phones will be used even in provinces. When the enforcers take a photo of it, the information will pop up.)

“Siguro ‘yung technical ninyo, ‘yung IT (information technology) ninyo maaaring maka-device ng gan’un. Tapos kaagad ang problema natin,” he went on.

(Maybe your IT could come up with that device, then our problem is finished.)

For Senator Raffy Tulfo, the RFIDs are “inutile” as law enforcement capabilities are lacking.

Tulfo said that traffic enforcers should have an RFID reader as well as authorities in checkpoints.

To date, expressways in Metro Manila have transitioned from cash payments to an independent cashless system through RFID.—Kimberly Albaño, INQUIRER.net intern

JPV