Metropolitan Manila Development Authority acting chairman Ron Artes. —Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Wednesday said it has already deputized traffic enforcers under 10 local government units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region (NCR) to issue violation tickets under the single-ticketing system (STS).
The enforcers were from Malabon, Mandaluyong, Valenzuela, San Juan, Navotas, Parañaque, Pasay, Pasig and Quezon cities, as well as the municipality of Pateros, the MMDA said in a brief statement.
The deputization of LGU traffic enforcers followed the recent ruling of the Supreme Court upholding the MMDA’s jurisdiction to regulate traffic in Metro Manila, but prohibiting LGUs from issuing their own traffic violation tickets through the STS.
READ: MMDA: 2 metro cities yet to adopt single-ticketing system
Exclusive authority
The Supreme Court ruled in March that the MMDA has the exclusive authority to enforce traffic laws, rules and regulations in the NCR and LGUs may only participate in such functions when their traffic enforcers are deputized by the agency.
The high tribunal’s ruling overturned the earlier decision of the Court of Appeals upholding the traffic ordinances of LGUs that allowed the confiscation of driver’s licenses and the issuance of ordinance violation receipts to erring motorists.
MMDA Acting Chair Romando Artes earlier said that the agency would no longer file a motion for reconsideration of the Supreme Court’s ruling but other LGUs might do so.
He pointed out that deputization was needed as the MMDA lacked enough manpower to enforce traffic regulations, particularly along inner or secondary roads.
The STS, embodied in the Metro Manila Traffic Code that the Metro Manila Council adopted in February 2023, standardizes the fines and penalties for common traffic violations and provides interconnectivity among government agencies involved in transportation and traffic management.