DOTC won't back down on higher traffic fines

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) will neither suspend nor cancel an order that raised traffic violation fines of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), saying the move was long overdue and necessary to compel motorists to obey traffic rules and regulations.

Anneli Lontoc, DOTC Undersecretary for Land Transport, also dismissed claims made by militant transport group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) that there were no public consultations conducted before DOTC Order 39 was enforced in the third quarter of last year.

“That’s not true. Leaders of public transport groups were present in several consultations. They were informed and consulted, definitely,” Lontoc told The STAR in an interview last Thursday.

Lontoc defended the stiff traffic violation fines, saying that they would hopefully push motorists, particularly drivers of public utility vehicles (PUV), to observe traffic discipline.

Lontoc said most of the tragic road accidents occurring in the past several months that took the lives of many people involved PUV drivers.

“We need to raise the rates. Setting the fines very low has only emboldened motorists to violate traffic rules and regulations,” she said.

Lontoc cited the previous rate of P150 for reckless driving, that has been raised to P1,000 by DOTC Order 39.

“They are not afraid to be cited for traffic violations because they think they only have to pay P150,” Lontoc said.

George San Mateo, Piston secretary general, recently called on Malacañang or the DOTC to scrap the order.

“It is obviously one of the measures of the government to raise revenues. But the problem is, they want to raise revenues at the expense of the poor transport drivers,” he said.

San Mateo said the frustration among transport drivers was causing their regional chapters to consider nationwide protest actions to move for the cancellation of the DOTC order.