Traffic enforcers to get share of collected fines

CEBU, Philippines – Traffic enforcers who go after erring motorists will be entitled to a share of the fines collected from violators of Mandaue City's traffic rules and regulations, based on the ordinance that proposes to turn the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM) into a department.

Proposed ordinance No. 39-2017, authored by Mandaue City Councilor Elstone Dabon, moves to make TEAM into a department with its own budget allocation out from under the Office of the Mayor.

The proposed ordinance provides incentives for traffic enforcers and enforcement units from of the money it collects from traffic fines and penalties.

Of the amount collected, under Section 11 of the propose ordinance, 20 percent is given to traffic enforcers who did the apprehensions, while five percent of the total accumulated amount will be placed in a trust fund to be shared equally by all traffic enforcement units before the end of the fiscal year, subject to compliance to all relevant government rules and policies.

The incentives shall be given at the end of each quarter, Dabon said.

Dabon, who is the council’s Chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Public Utilities, said the incentive aims to motivate enforcers for traffic management and operations.

Parking charges, terminal fees, towing fees and similar imposition for specific services rendered shall accrue to the TEAM trust fund. Aside from the incentives, the trust fund shall be disbursed only to finance traffic improvement projects in the city, finance the operation of the TEAM board and for various activities and requirements of the TEAM, including the maintenance of facilities and traffic control devices, but excluding salaries of personnel.

TEAM chief Glenn Antigua welcomes the development but insisted that traffic enforcers do not have a quota on apprehensions of traffic violators.  He said that he never mentioned any quota but would want the personnel to do their job well and instill discipline among the public.

Dabon said she wants TEAM to be a department that prescribes powers, functions and duties, and at the same time provide funds for its operations.

According to Dabon, Mandaue City being classified as a highly urbanized city, has an increasing magnitude of transportation and traffic problems, which necessitates the creation of the TEAM department to address the rising congestion in the city's urban streets and roads.

Dabon said the proposed department should be one that will be a venue for the local government unit to coordinate planning and management of programs related to traffic and that the body will have supervisory and regulatory authority over traffic operations in the city.

If TEAM will be a full department, its functions will emphasize on transportation, planning and engineering. It will also be divided into five divisions - traffic engineering, transportation planning, traffic enforcement, facilities management and support services. There will be division heads with their corresponding personnel in the proposed department.

The ordinance also stipulates that there will be a department head appointed by the City Mayor who shall serve co-terminus with the mayor’s term of office.

Ten million pesos will be appropriated as initial funding budget to cover the payment for salaries, allowances and other mandatory expenses. —/JBB (FREEMAN)