Traffic men to get more incentives

Traffic enforcers in Metro Manila will now receive an additional 10 percent in their share of traffic fines as an incentive.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. announced that the traffic enforcers’ share would now be 20 percent of the total fines collected.

Abalos added that traffic commanders of all levels would also be given a 15 percent share of the fines, which was not done before.

Unchanged were the shares of the Traffic Enforcement Units at five percent and the local government units at 10 percent.

The increase in the shares reduces the overall share of the MMDA from 75 percent to 50 percent.

According to Abalos, the decrease in the share of the MMDA would be equivalent to P35.037 million for 2002.

However, he explained that he is not concerned about the decline in the share of the MMDA as he expects the performance of the traffic enforcers to improve with the increase in their incentive.

The MMDA is optimistic that the increase in the shares of the traffic enforcers and traffic commanders would help prevent corruption.

Abalos said that the increase in the cost of living coupled with the considerably low income of the enforcers have forced some of them to turn to extortion.

In a related development, the MMDA is also set to raise its fines for traffic violations by at least 20 percent.

Abalos argued that the increase in fines is necessary at this time to cope with the higher administrative costs and expenses involved in traffic management and the implementation of programs and projects. – Marvin Sy