In a bid to solve the problematic traffic in Metro Manila and other nearby provinces, the Philippine National Police yesterday inked a memorandum of agreement with six other government agencies to further strengthen the enforcement capabilities of the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic.
“I am pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement by and between the Philippine National Police, Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Metro Manila Council, Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, and Philippine Coast Guard to further strengthen the enforcement capabilities of the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic or I-ACT, through the support of the Department of the Interior and Local Government,” said PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde in a press briefing in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
“The I-ACT was created to integrate the conduct of traffic management, decongestion of traffic flow, anti-colorum operations, and strict enforcement of traffic laws, rules, and regulations, including illegal parking. Today, the DOTr and the PNP commit the deployment of their respective personnel and logistical resources, and augment the same as the need by the I-ACT arises,” he added.
In particular, the PNP Highway Patrol Group has started deploying 25 police commissioned officers, 275 police non-commissioned officers, 24 mobile cars, and 82 motorcycle units “to address traffic woes in metropolis and conduct nationwide crackdown on colorum vehicles.”
Aside from the crackdown on colorum vehicles, Chief Supt. Roberto Fajardo, PNP-HPG director, said they will also intensify their operations against the use of prohibited car accessories such as sirens, bells, horns, whistles, or other similar gadgets that produce loud or startling sound, and dome lights, blinkers, and other similar signaling or flashing devices.
This, according to Fajardo, is in strict compliance with Presidential Decree 96 which prohibits the use of the illegal car accessories.
Under PD 96, sirens and blinkers can only be used on motor vehicles designated for official use of the following agencies and offices – Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Bureau of Investigation, Land Transportation Commission, police departments, fire departments, and hospital ambulances.
Violation of PD 96 may be penalized with cancellation or revocation of the certificate of registration of the motor vehicle involved, he said.
Fajardo appealed for public cooperation as he admitted that the traffic problem will not be solved by police operations alone but with the discipline of everybody.
“Ito kasi ang problema, this needs the help of local government units. Kasi kapag nag-operate kami with I-ACT, pag-alis namin nandyan ang barangay captain bumabalik sila kasi pinagkakakitaan ng LGUs,” he said.
“Now it’s time to put a stop and we will do it together with your help. Pagtulungan natin, we need the report, we need your help,” he said. (Martin Sadongdong)
