Motorists don’t redeem licenses from MMDA

Although the number of traffic apprehensions made by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has increased, it did not translate to an improvement in its collection of fines and penalties.

It was revealed that a large number of motorists apprehended for traffic violations have not redeemed their driver’s licenses from the MMDA.

MMDA Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. said there are still a substantial number of outstanding traffic violation receipts (TVRs).

As a result, the MMDA has only been able to collect P95.5 million from traffic fines and penalties as of the first week of December in contrast with its target of P159.9 million for the entire 2001.

From 9,000 apprehensions per week during the previous administration, the MMDA has reported 14,000.

Abalos said the reason for the gap in collections is the leniency of the Land Transportation Office in the replacement of driver’s licenses.

He claimed that motorists apprehended for traffic violations have resorted to declaring their licenses lost and apply for new driver’s licenses at the LTO rather than redeem their confiscated licenses.

A driver is only required to submit an affidavit of loss in order to secure a new driver’s license from the LTO.

In order to address the problem an arrangement between the MMDA and the LTO has been made to integrate the MMDA into the computerized system of driver’s license issuance.

Under the arrangement, drivers applying for a replacement of lost licenses at the LTO will now be required to secure a clearance from the MMDA before they are entertained.

To aid the LTO in identifying unscrupulous motorists, the MMDA has provided the agency with a list of drivers who have not redeemed their driver’s licenses.

On the part of the MMDA, it has streamlined procedures in its redemption centers for the benefit of motorists.

Waiting time for the redemption of driver’s licenses has been reduced to five to 15 minutes from the previous average of 30 minutes to an hour.

Fixers as well as the MMDA employees have also been banned from redemption centers by the Traffic Adjudication Board.

The top 10 violations listed by the MMDA are obstruction, disregarding traffic signs, failure to use seatbelt, reckless driving, illegal parking, color-coding, open doors on buses, jaywalking, illegal display of signboard and illegal counter-flow. – Marvin Sy