Story & Photos by Patrick P. Tulfo
Starting September 16, all motorists who will be passing the city of Valenzuela should be wary as the progressive city has already amended Ordinance 19 Series of 2005 otherwise known as “The Land Transportation Code of Valenzuela City or “No Contact Apprehension Program” (NCAP) as another means to implement the traffic code of the city.
In a press conference held at Gerry’s Grill at a mall just beside the City hall on September 4, Mayor Rex Gatchalian said he hopes the pioneering program will help address the traffic management and road-safety concerns in the city of Valenzuela. This is in support of President Duterte’s recent call to clear public roads from obstructions.
The dry run for the NCAP had begun on that day for motorists using Karuhatan Road before its full enforcement on September 16. During the dry run, the city government will strictly enforce traffic rules and regulations in the hopes of improving and decongesting traffic-choked areas covered by the program.
The main proponent of the program is the use of high-speed cameras with full high-definition technology that is also being employed in countries such as United States, Europe and some parts of Asia. These high-tech cameras capture the vehicles plate numbers vividly and, thereby, making it easy to identify the drivers/owners of the vehicle concern.
A total of 18 cameras will be installed in several intersections along MacArthur with three of the systems already installed in Karuhatan, Gov. Santiago Roads and along People’s Park. The cameras total cost is pegged at P46 million.
According to Jose Valenzuela, officer in charge of the Public Order and Safety Group (POSG),”We are grateful that this system will finally be utilized because it will greatly help our traffic enforcers as apprehension would be more accurate and efficient. “Malaking tulong talaga para sa mga enforcers at malaking disiplina para sa mga Valenzuelanon,” he said.
A command center in the POSG leads the assessment of the violations and notifies erring motorists through their registrations on file as the system is linked with the related government agencies, such as Land Transportation Office (LTO). Traffic citations are sent to the address of violators, and offenders who will fail to pay the corresponding fines will have problems renewing their vehicles registrations.
A list of the traffic violations and the corresponding fines were given to the media. And motorists be forewarned, most of the traffic violations carries stiff penalties with the likes of counterflow driving, Anti-Distracted Driving (using your cell phones), Driving an unregistered vehicle and overspeeding to name a few will result in a P3,000 fine. Those who will get caught and won’t protest the violation can pay their fines at any UCPB (United Coconut Planters Bank) branches in the country or at the Redemption Office of the Valenzuela City Traffic Management Office (TMO).
“The pioneering project will surely teach traffic discipline to motorists in Valenzuela and we are optimistic that it will bring greater efficiency to the whole city. May kontribusyon din ito sa pagpapanatili ng tahimik at matiwasay na pamayanan dahil kita sa camera ang mga lumalabag sa batas kaya makikinabang ng malaki ang mga mamamayan ng Valenzuela dito,” Gatchalian pointed out.
This worthwhile project is being supported by Department of Transportation (DOTr), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and LTO.
Image credits: Patrick P. Tulfo
2 comments
Sir malaki po Ang babayaran ko sa 4 na violation ko Isa Lang po ako na delevery rider baka Naman pwedi makkauasap so meyor at babaan Ang aking babayaran satotoo Lang po wala PO akong pera pambayad sa violation ko di ko na man PO itinatange nakagawa ako NG violation pero Hindi ko Alam kaagad nalaman na may violation ko ngayon ko Lang nalaman di Kong una palmang Sana ay maliit pa NG aking babayaran ay nabayaran Kona Kong nlaman ko NG maaga
Nakikiusap PO ako Kay meyor na pwdi nya babaan Ang aking babayaran mahirap Lang po ako meyor at may 8 anak sa herap NG buhay ngayon ay Wala PO talaga akong pambayad sa aking violation Sana may option po para mabayran Ang aking violation kahit partial po para po mabayaran ko po