Know the blues and grays of MMDA

MANILA, Philippines—The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has laid down more defined roles for its traffic constables by categorizing them either as traffic managers or enforcers.

During a meeting on Tuesday, MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino said the move was aimed at improving the performance of traffic constables by assigning them specific tasks.

“Managing traffic is different from enforcing traffic laws and if we will assign the two functions to the same person, it will be difficult for them,” he explained.

Under the new setup, 800 of the MMDA’s traffic personnel were designated as traffic enforcers while 1,000 others were appointed traffic managers.

Traffic Discipline Office head Cris Saruca explained that traffic managers would be in charge of directing vehicular flow while enforcers would handle the apprehension of traffic violators.

To distinguish between the two, Tolentino said that managers would be in a gray uniform while the enforcers would be wearing the same old blue uniform.

The new work arrangement was tested on Edsa yesterday with traffic enforcers and managers working in pairs at chokepoint areas on the busy thoroughfare. The new setup would be enforced on other major roads in the coming days, Tolentino added. Maricar B. Brizuela