MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila’s local traffic enforcers would be given provisional authority by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) so they can continue issuing traffic violation receipts amid a Supreme Court decision barring metro local government units (LGUs) from slapping erring motorists with traffic tickets.
In a press conference following a meeting with Metro Manila mayors, MMDA Acting Chair Don Artes said that the agency would deputize local traffic enforcers “as soon as possible” to avoid chaos in the streets of the metropolitan area.
READ: Metro Manila traffic enforcers can still go after violators – MMDA
“We have agreed to give them provisional authority for now. Our cut-off for the [deputization] is December 31 this year for them to be able to comply with the requirements,” Artes told reporters.
The MMDA chair said local enforcers would only be given provisional authority in the meantime since fully deputizing with the MMDA would require a series of training and an exam, which the agency would not be able to complete in one fell swoop.
“That’s why our appointment will be provisional because the requirements for appointing traffic enforcers [with MMDA] are different. They need to have finished [at least] 2nd year college, then undergo 72 units of training and then an exam,” he explained.
“Of course, we can’t train all of them overnight,” Artes admitted.
In the same press conference, San Juan City Mayor and Metro Manila Council (MMC) President Francis Zamora said that local traffic enforcers would be given IDs that would show that they have been deputized with the MMDA so motorists would know that they have the authority to issue traffic violation tickets.
During a previous briefing, Artes told motorists in Metro Manila that the Supreme Court decision is not yet final and executory, and metro LGUs may still issue tickets to violators.
READ: MMDA needs 8,000 traffic enforcers to man NCR, but it has less than 2,500
He also said that the MMDA would not be able to cover all of the major thoroughfares in the metro and that they require the help of local enforcers to maintain order in the streets.
MMDA only had less than 2,500 traffic enforcers; covering Metro Manila would require more than 8,000 enforcers.