The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has been working to make the No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) more reasonable for road users. This is in response to the concerns raised by motorists and transport groups.
The agency has even formed a Technical Working Group (TWG) that’s tasked to come up with fair NCAP guidelines. The guidelines formulated by the TWG will then be up for discussion with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and Local Government Units (LGUs) implementing the NCAP.
Early this week, the LTO asks the MMDA to exempt public utility vehicles (PUVs) from the NCAP as face-to-face classes return. Now, the LTO is pushing for lower NCAP fines for PUVs.
In a report by ABS-CBN news, LTO chief Assistant Secretary Teofilo Guadiz III said that the NCAP fines set by the LGUs should be the same or even lower than those imposed by the MMDA.
Guadiz noted that the penalties exacted by the LGUs “are much much higher.” He suggested that it might be ideal to “harmonize” the fines, which could lead to lesser complaints in regard to the NCAP.
LGUs are basing the NCAP fines or penalties on the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 2014-01 that was approved by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) last June 2014.
To put things in perspective, the MMDA’s penalty for Disregarding Traffic Signs is Php 150 but under the JAO 2014-01 the fine is Php 1,000. Another example is the MMDA’s penalty for Reckless Driving, which is Php 500 for the first offense, Php 750 for the second offense, and Php 1,000 (plus revocation of driver’s license) for the third offense. In contrast, the fine for Reckless Driving based on the said JAO is Php 2,000 for the first offense alone.
The LTO has also previously called for the suspension of the NCAP due to the concerns raised by motorists and transport groups. Despite this, LGUs implementing the NCAP have maintained their stand as the said policy is still being enforced. The MMDA has also shown its support to the LGUs with the NCAP in place.
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