Jaywalkers face higher fine, dirty job in esteros

TOLENTINO

To further discourage jaywalking, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will soon raise the fine from P200 to P500 on top of requiring violators to clean an estero for three hours instead of making them attend a disaster seminar.

Earlier, the Metro Manila Council (MMC), the policy-making arm of the MMDA, approved the proposal to impose tougher penalties on jaywalkers after the number of apprehended pedestrians in 2013 slightly went down to over P63,000.

In 2012, there were over 64,000 people who were accosted for jaywalking, based on the MMDA’s records.

Under the MMDA’s Anti-Jaywalking Ordinance, violators face a fine of P200 in addition to mandatory attendance in a 30-minute disaster seminar to be conducted by the agency.

BY RAISING the fine to P500 for jaywalkers on top of three hours of community service, the MMDA hopes to make pedestrians stick to footbridges and crossing lanes whenever they cross the street unlike this biker in Pasay City. ARNOLD ALMACEN

But in an MMC meeting on Tuesday, Metro Manila mayors which included Del de Guzman (Marikina), Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. (Makati), Edwin Olivarez (Parañaque), Jaime Fresnedi (Muntinlupa), John Rey Tiangco (Navotas), Rex Gatchalian (Valenzuela), Guia Gomez (San Juan) and Jaime Medina (Pateros) approved the proposal to hike the fine to P500 and require violators to render community service by making them clean an estero.

MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino said the amendments to the Anti-Jaywalking Ordinance would take effect 15 days after its publication. This, he added, would give them time to inform the agency’s traffic constables and the traffic enforcers of the different local government units (LGUs) about the new penalties.

“These changes cannot happen overnight. We will have to start with pilot LGUs like Pasay, Quezon City, Pasig and Taguig which will be allowed to issue tickets to violators,” Tolentino said. The four cities recorded the highest number of jaywalkers, especially on major highways and streets, according to the MMDA.

MMDA Assistant General Manager Emerson Carlos said that with the amendments, they hoped that more pedestrians would become aware that there was an ordinance penalizing jaywalking.

At the same time, the agency will post additional signs in the streets and make use of media and electronic billboards to inform people about the stiffer penalties.

Tolentino, meanwhile, urged the public to make use of footbridges and pedestrian lanes to avoid being apprehended.