THE City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) and the Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU) issued tickets to 730 violators in the first week of implementing the new Speed Limit Ordinance last Jan. 11.
During the iSpeak forum on Jan. 18, CTTMO head Dionisio Abude said out of total apprehensions, 49% of the speed limit violators involved private vehicles. This was followed by motorcycles, taxis, trucks, public utility jeepneys, buses, and public utility vans.
In the same way, according to PCapt. Raymundo Bacera, TEU deputy chief, 75% of the total 400 they ticketed also involved private vehicles.
Most of the apprehensions were vehicles passing through Las Terrazas down to Matina Pangi, Dumoy in Toril, and Binugao underpass.
Abude said their officers encode the apprehensions daily “to efficiently monitor the number of offenses an individual who violated the ordinance has committed.”
“Kung naa ta’y speed limit, dili nato ma-guarantee nga wala na’y road crash. Mag-depende gyud na sa behavior ug driving habits sa usa ka driver,” Abude said.
Bacera also noted a 53% decrease in road accidents from Jan. 1-16, 2024, compared to the same period in 2023.
“Last year, nakatala ta og 213 incidents, and karon nga Jan.1-16, 102 nalang ang incident. Last year may 120 vehicles tayong involved, but now we only have 51 vehicles,” Bacera said.
Abude stressed that the ordinance aimed to ensure the safety of road users, so he urged drivers to obey traffic rules.
Based on the ordinance, violators are fined P1000 for the first offense; P2,000 for the second offense; and P5,000 for the third offense.
A fine of P1,500 for the first and second offenses, or P2,500 for the third and subsequent offenses shall be imposed where the speed of the apprehended vehicle exceeds the posted speed limit by more than 30 kph or if the motor vehicle is driven recklessly.
Violators must settle their penalties within seven calendar days to avoid paying an additional P500 fine.