Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon. Photo from DOTr.
MANILA, Philippines — Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon on Wednesday said that the lifting of the temporary restraining order (TRO) against the no-contact apprehension program (NCAP) is a “big win” in terms of road safety.
“That is a big victory, not just for the government but also for the motorists and the commuters. It will impact the enforcement of road safety but it should not be abused. And there should be check and balance,” Dizon, speaking in Filipino, told reporters in an interview.
READ: No-contact apprehension takes effect along major roads after SC lifts TRO
The Supreme Court partially lifted the TRO against the implementation of the Metro Manila Development Authority on the NCAP.
The NCAP covers Edsa (Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue), C5, Katipunan, Marcos Highway, Roxas Boulevard, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon Avenue, West Avenue, E. Rodriguez Avenue and Buendia Avenue.
However, Dizon said that the NCAP has problems that need to be addressed. He emphasized that it’s not perfect but “it’s a step in the right direction.”
Dizon also recognized that issuing violation tickets will be difficult for vehicles with outdated registration. Dizon said that the process of transferring ownership needs to be reviewed by the government.
With this, Dizon said that the DOTr and the Land Transportation Office committed to streamline the process of changing car ownership as the NCAP is set to be reimplemented.
Road safety
Dizon also said that he met with road safety advocates on Wednesday to discuss road safety concerns and policies that may be implemented.
Dizon said that the first step to fixing the “broken system” is the government’s recognition of its shortcomings in ensuring road safety.
“The government has the biggest responsibility and we committed that to our road safety advocates, we admitted that we fell short and we admitted the shortcomings of the system,” Dizon said in Radyo Pilipinas’ DOTr Sakay Na program.
He emphasized that regulations and enforcement need to be studied if they should be reviewed or strengthened.
Dizon then recalled a suggestion from a road safety advocate where policies should be appropriate for the existing problems.
He cited an example where some cases of driving under the influence are not given stricter penalties unlike in other countries.
“Our laws are not up to par with the standards of other countries,” he added./MR