The Land Transportation Office will begin implementing its new “unified penalty system” against traffic violators in the first quarter of 2023, the agency’s head said on Tuesday.
The “single ticketing system” will “establish a uniform definition for traffic violation” and use a “common and unified penalty system” across all cities, said Assistant Secretary Jay Art Tugade, who heads the LTO.
“Mamomonitor po natin ang performance ng ating mga driver via a common demerit point system,” he told state television PTV.
“We will make sure na yung privilege to drive ay mapupunta lang sa mga karapat-dapat,” he said.
The single ticketing system “is not to increase the penalty but to have a penalty that will serve as a deterrent,” Tugade said, noting that some cities impose a P300 fine for the failure to wear helmets, while others have a P1,500 monetary sanction.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order is to “restore the trust and confidence of the public to our agency,” said Tugade who recently ascended to the head of the LTO.
“Kasama diyan ang pagsugpo ng fixers na umaaligid sa LTO, pag-address sa corruption at improve yung quality ng customer service sa ating ahensya,” he said.
“I will make sure not only to impose administrative liability kapag kayo ay nahuli ko but… criminal liability ang aking ipu-pursue,” he said.
