Naga to violators: Return and pay

CEBU, Philippines — In light of the recent traffic incidents and vehicular accidents, Naga City Mayor Valdemar Chiong has urged the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to establish strict directives for dealing non-resident violators who evade accountability and fail to settle their penalties in the city.

Chiong said too many violators fail to report back to the city to pay fines. He requested the LTO to ensure that violators cannot issue a license without first settling their violations.

“Ang problema kung mahuli namin hindi taga-Naga, sometimes hindi na babalik dito. Sana makapag-formulate ang LTO ng program na mo-sulod lang mi didto para makahibaw sad sila kung adunay molukat lisensya didto, dili na makalukat kung dili mobayad diri sa amoa because it’s also an earning (sa city),” he said.

LTO-7 Regional Director Glen Galario said they have yet to implement the single ticketing system in Naga City following the recent inauguration of the new LTO extension office in Barangay East Poblacion.

Region 7 has already implemented the system wherein violators who acquire citation tickets in some cities will be linked to LTO-7. Cities like Cebu, Mandaue, and Talisay have already effected the regulation, and it will soon be implemented in Lapu-Lapu City and Naga City.

“Pag hindi nabayaran yung citation ticket dito sa treasury ng City of Naga, once mo-renew siya elsewhere like for example somewhere in Manila, naka-alarm yan. Kung mag-alarm yung sa registration, mapilitan talaga yung driver na bumalik dito sa Naga para i-settle muna yung obligation niya dito,” Galario said.

On a nationwide scale, LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II said all 17 local governments in Manila have also established a demerit system where they discipline drivers on the road.

If a driver receives violations in multiple cities the LTO must flag both the driver’s license and the vehicle to prevent further registration.

“Kung violate ka ng violate sa bawat bayan, darating ang punto na maalarma na yung central and to help the city government, pag may nag-violate puwede nating i-alarma yung lisensya at sasakyan nang sa ganon hindi puwedeng marehistro yan,” Mendoza said.

Mendoza said that the number of nationwide registrants from the previous year accumulated to 14 million for motor vehicles, while 7.9 million for additional licenses. In 2024, they target 19 million registrants for motor vehicles while 10 million for licenses.

Meanwhile, there are 24 million vehicles unregistered from last year, and the number one reason, according to Mendoza, is the difficulty to register because of the far location of LTO offices.

He applauds Region 7 as the only region that has numerous LTO offices, including Naga City’s recent office, which will operate the same as a district office with transactions such as the renewal of motor vehicle and motorcycle registrations, new driver’s license, renewal of driver’s license, and the process of getting a student driver’s permit.

The extension office can accommodate up to 150 people in a day and operates from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

LTO-7 will also expand its offices in Cebu (Consolacion and Alcoy) and Bohol (Tubigon) as Mendoza aims to bring government services closer to the public. — (FREEMAN)