MMDA to boost enforcers' visibility along NCR roads

After mall hours have been adjusted and road diggings have been suspended, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said that traffic enforcers’ visibility will be bolstered along major thoroughfares in the National Capital Region.

The latest initiative is part of the agency’s traffic mitigation measures for the holidays.

MMDA Acting Chairman Atty. Romando Artes said that the agency will prolong the duty of Traffic Discipline Office personnel until 12 midnight following the 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. operating hours that the malls and shopping centers in Metro Manila will implement.

He also ordered traffic enforcers to avoid clustering in one place as well as the unnecessary use of cellular phones while on duty except when reporting traffic situations or accidents in their areas of assignment.

Likewise, Artes said that traffic management shall be prioritized and apprehension of simple and light traffic violations which may hamper traffic flow shall be minimized as necessary. “Our primary duty and priority is to manage traffic first before apprehending erring motorists. We don’t allow the practice of waiting for motorists to violate traffic rules before flagging them down," he said.

“However, to avoid impeded traffic flow, minor violations like swerving could be exempted on a case-to-case basis except for distracted driving and number coding,” Artes added.

Further, field personnel activities shall be monitored through the use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras located at the MMDA Operations Monitoring and Control Center (Metrobase) to make sure that the policy and guidelines among their ranks shall be strictly implemented.

Moreover, Artes mandated road work contractors are mandated to put steel plate covers on all excavations to make it passable to motorists, avoid accidents, and ensure smooth traffic flow.

Photos from Metropolitan Manila Development Authority

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