P500 fine, 3-hour estero cleaning for jaywalkers

MANILA, Philippines - Pedestrians in Metro Manila will now be fined P500 or ordered to clean esterors for three hours for jaywalking.

The Metro Manila Council (MMC), which is composed of the mayors of Metro Manila on Tuesday approved the recommendation of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to increase the penalty for jaywalking from the present P200.

The MMC also approved the recommendation of the MMDA that jaywalkers who could not afford to pay the fine be made instead to help clean any of the Metro’s waterways or esteros for three hours. Previously, jaywalkers who could not pay the fine are made to attend a disaster assistance seminar.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said the new penalties for jaywalking would take effect 15 days after publication in a major newspaper.

Speaking to reporters after the regular MMC meeting held in Makati City, Tolentino said the MMDA had proposed the hike in the penalty citing the increasing number of pedestrians nabbed by the MMDA for jaywalking.

Tolentino said the most number of jaywalkers were recorded in the cities of Quezon, Pasig, Taguig and Pasay.

He added that the MMDA would also deputize local traffic enforcers of these four cities to apprehend jaywalkers.

Records from the MMDA showed that 63,638 pedestrians were issued violation tickets by the MMDA for jaywalking last year while some 10,844 pedestrians have been issued jaywalking violation tickets from the start of this year to date.

Identified by Tolentino as jaywalking “hot spots” are the stretch of Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon Avenue and Balintawak, all in Quezon City.

Tolentino urged pedestrians to use instead the MMDA installed footbridges instead of jaywalking which could lead to injuries or even death.

He said some 2.6 million pedestrians make use of the various MMDA footbridges installed across Metro Manila every day. Some 500,000 pedestrians cross the footbridge in Bicutan, Taguig everyday, he said.

“If we remove the footbridges, there would be more accidents for the pedestrians. These footbridges are for their safety,” he said.