NCAP continues despite deferred EDSA rebuild

NCAP UPDATES. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Special Operations Group-Strike Force head Gabriel Go updates media on the no contact apprehension policy (NCAP) during a press conference at the Land Transportation Office headquarters in Quezon City on Monday (June 2, 2025). Go said the NCAP will continue despite the postponement of the Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) rebuild project. (Photo: MMDA/Facebook)

By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The no contact apprehension policy (NCAP) currently enforced in the National Capital Region (NCR) will continue despite the postponement of the Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) rebuild project.

In an interview over Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon at PTV, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Special Operations Group-Strike Force (SOG-SF) head Gabriel Go said the NCAP is not just a traffic alleviation measure, but an instrument used by the government to instill discipline in the country’s roads.

“Hindi lang disiplina, order sa ating mga kalansangan. So, based on our records, unti-unti, makikita po natin ‘no iyong numbers of violators ay bumababa day by day (It not only creates discipline, but also order in our streets. And based on our records, the number of violators is decreasing day by day),” Go said.

On May 26, the first day of reimplementation of the NCAP, the MMDA apprehended 1,112 errant motorists through the NCAP compared to 565 NCAP apprehensions on June 1.

Go said more common violations, such as disregarding traffic signs and pedestrian crossings, have noticeably decreased.

“It’s a clear indication na nagkakaroon po ng disiplina, nagiging maayos unti-unti ang lagay ng ating trapiko and nagkakaroon po ng respeto sa batas (It’s a clear indication that there is discipline, we’re gradually improving the traffic situation and there is respect for the law),” he said.

On the other hand, Go said physical apprehensions will also continue, with many enforcers still deployed around NCR.

“Lalung-lalo na po ngayon, mayroon po tayong mga tinatalakay na issues such as iyong problema po sa mga nagtatakip ng plaka (Especially nowadays, we’re tackling issues such as the problem of some motorists covering their license plates),” he said.

Go said the MMDA validates both NCAP and physical apprehensions in their system to ensure that the same violation is not duplicated.

However, he said it is still possible to be caught on the same day if they commit a different violation or the same violation in a different location.

In a separate press conference at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) headquarters in Quezon City, Go turned over and endorsed to the LTO the documents containing images of motorists who intentionally covered, concealed, and tampered with their license plates to evade the NCAP.

These documents, he said, contain the details of more than 50 drivers who may face criminal charges for obscuring their license plates.

Under Article II, Section 12 of the Republic Act. No. 11235 or the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act, purposely concealing a license plate is punishable with imprisonment ranging from six months and one day to two years, or a fine of not more than PHP10,000.