Almost 100% rise in traffic violator citations for Q1: I-ACT

(PNA photo)

MANILA — The Inter-Agency Council on Traffic (I-ACT) has attained a significant surge in the number of apprehensions for the first quarter of 2018 due to its intensified operations nationwide.

Data from the I-ACT show that a total of 4,132 traffic violators were apprehended from January to May 24 increasing by 99.9 percent compared to 1,379 from September to December 2017.

A total of 2,555 motorists were issued tickets for defective parts and other violations while 928 vehicles were impounded for “colorum”, illegal parking, and out of line violations for the first quarter of this year. Other motorists were apprehended due to smoke belching vehicles.

“With I-ACT’s intensified and wider scope of operations, we are able to double our apprehensions compared to last year,” Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary for Road Transport and I-ACT chief Tim Orbos said in a statement Monday.

“Though it is a significant achievement for us, it is also a bit disappointing to see the number increase as years go by,” he added.

The I-ACT which consists of the Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the PNP-Highway Patrol Group has expanded its operations to nearby provinces of Metro Manila such as Cavite, Rizal and Bulacan.

The traffic council has likewise conducted its anti-colorum and Tanggal Bulok Tanggal Usok operations in Rizal, Cavite, Pampanga, Laguna, Boracay, Caticlan, Davao, Cebu, and Pangasinan aside from Metro Manila.

The Tanggal Bulok Tanggal Usok operations aim to rid major thoroughfares of dilapidated PUVs. Under the campaign, the council would inspect the PUVs’ body (appearance), engine, lights, brakes, tires, horn, battery, and smoke emission to check their roadworthiness. Failure to pass the roadworthiness test will result in the suspension of the PUVs’ franchises.

The DOTr has also launched last March Task Force Kamao, which implements intensified operations against colorum public utility vehicles (PUVs), in compliance with the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to crackdown on unregistered PUVs nationwide.

A Sumbong Bulok and Sumbong Usok hotline was also activated for the public to report traffic violations through the I-ACT Facebook Messenger.