MMDA launches single ticket system for traffic violations

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the 17 local government units (LGUs) of Metro Manila launched yesterday afternoon the Uniform Ordinance Violation Receipt (UOVR) single ticketing system for traffic violations.

MMDA assistant general manager for operations Emerson Carlos said the new traffic violation tickets will only be issued starting this morning to motorists by the traffic enforcers of the MMDA and the 17 LGUs as the tickets were submitted for inspection by the various local city treasurer’s offices late yesterday afternoon.

MMDA spokesperson Ma. Lualhati Dorotan earlier said each LGU would initially get 500 UOVR tickets from the National Printing Office.

The new traffic violation tickets – which bear the logos of the MMDA, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the 17 Metro Manila LGUs – are designed to be tamper-proof and will have several security features to prevent forgery.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said with the use of the UOVR, a motorist who gets apprehended for a traffic violation and gets his driver’s license confiscated, can use the single traffic violation ticket as temporary license. Should the motorist be flagged down in another city, he will no longer be issued another traffic violation ticket for driving without a license on presentation of his UOVR.

Tolentino, however, clarified that the UOVR is valid only for a single common offense. Should a motorist be issued an UOVR in one city for speeding, he could be issued another UOVR for committing another violation in another city, such as beating the red light.

At present, a motorist can pay the penalty and redeem his license at the traffic office in the city where he was apprehended.

Tolentino told reporters that it would still take one more year before an inter-connectivity in settling the fines can be achieved. According to Tolentino, each of the 17 LGUs will first have to set common fines for the violations committed.

According to the MMDA, the UOVR adopts the LTO’s schedule of fines and penalties with allowances given to LGUs to make adjustments to the fines for violations which are peculiar to their needs.

Tolentino added that the LGUs and the MMDA will move to harmonize all traffic rules, regulations and ordinances under the “Uniform Metro Manila Traffic Code.”