There’s no stopping the implementation of the No-Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) in five Metro Manila cities.
In a joint statement of the mayors of Valenzuela, Parañaque, Quezon City, Manila and San Juan regarding the NCAP, they noted the pronouncement of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) wherein he emphasized that government should “digitize and make its services accessible for a more efficient governance.”
Mayors Wes Gatchalian of Valenzuela; Eric Olivarez, Parañaque; Ma. Josefina “Joy” Belmonte, Quezon City; Maria Sheilah Lacuna–Pangan, Manila and; Francis Zamora of San Juan, in a joint statement, said they will continue to implement NCAP, stressing that the advancement of technology is “inevitable” and that it should be “embraced” to achieve progress and development of the country.
The mayors also noted that Marcos urged local chief executives to get into more proactive and beneficial joint ventures and public private partnerships for initiatives that “we wouldn’t have otherwise the funding to support,” and the best example, they said, is NCAP.
They added the scheme is widely used in countries like United States, Singapore, Korea, India, and Malaysia.
“With this in mind, we, the undersigned local chief executives have joined together on a common stance to continue the implementation of NCAP within our respective territorial jurisdictions and vow to continuously improve the infrastructure and road conditions foreseeing the need for a safer environment for our constituents,” read the statement signed by the five mayors.
The mayors also stressed that their mandate involves the “deployment, infusion, and effective use of technology in the delivery of government services and function whether national or local.”
They also said that the implementation of NCAP never disregarded the motorists’ due process, noting that each LGU have their own traffic adjudication boards.
NCAP, they stressed, is a big help in the elimination of corruption, imposed discipline among drivers and improved their behavior, and ensured road safety thus reducing traffic violations and traffic-related incidents.
They also called on “all relevant government agencies” to stand with them.
San Juan
Meanwhile, San Juan Mayor Zamora said they are not yet implementing the NCAP since “our cameras and equipment are still being installed.”
“We are open to listening to the LTO (Land Transportation Office) and the different sectors and we are open as well to amending any existing provisions for a better and smoother implementation of the NCAP in our city,” Zamora said.
NCAP support
Stressing that it has proven to create public awareness on the compliance the existing traffic and transports laws, rules and regulations, the MMDA has reaffirmed its full support to the NCAP, which is being implemented by some of the LGUs in Metro Manila.
“Empirical evidence clearly showed that the MMDA’s own version of the ‘No Physical
Contact Apprehension Program’ was and continues to be an effective force multiplier to its traffic enforcers on the ground and has, in fact, raised public awareness on and compliance with the existing traffic and transports laws, rules and regulations,” read the agency’ “solidarity” statement signed by MMDA Acting Chairman Engr. Carlo Dimayuga.
There is no doubt, Dimayuga said, that the same experience is true for the Metro Manila LGUs.
Dimayuga noted that as enshrined in the Local Government Code of 1991 (Republic Act No. 7160), it is the policy of the state that LGUs “shall enjoy genuine and meaningful local autonomy to enable them to attain their fullest development as self-reliant communities and make them more effective partners in the attainment of national goals.”
“Further, the law also provides that “any provision on a power of a local government unit shall be liberally interpreted in its favor” and any fair and reasonable doubt as to the existence of the power “shall be interpreted in favor of the local government unit concerned,” the MMDA statement added.
The Metro Manila LGUs, through the Metro Manila Council, according to the MMDA are valuable and indispensable partners of the agency in the performance of its mandates pursuant to RA No. 7924 and that they are regularly in consultation and coordination with the mayors.-30-