Quezon City government has warned pedestrians and motorists on Commonwealth Avenue to strictly observe traffic laws and ordinances, especially on jaywalking and overspeeding, to avoid arrest and payment of fines.
Department of public order and safety (DPOS) chief and former QC Police District director Elmo San Diego said that the city government, on orders of Mayor Herbert Bautista, is now strictly implementing City Ordinance No. SP-282, S-95, otherwise known as the anti-jaywalking ordinance, and the 60-kilometer per hour speed limit on the 12.4 kilometer Commonwealth Avenue .
San Diego said that DPOS and Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) personnel will be stationed on the Philcoa to Fairview stretch every day to monitor and apprehend violators of the laws.
He said that the strict enforcement of traffic laws is meant to prevent road mishaps due to driver’s error and pedestrians’ failure to use the appropriate road crossing facilities like the pedestrian overpasses.
Based on DPOS data, there were 124 accidents reported on Commonwealth Avenue for 2010, where most of the victims were killed.
“We are strictly implementing the law to maintain orderliness on the streets as well as to protect and secure the lives of everyone especially QC residents. This is one of our duties as public servants that we must uphold and continue to execute without fear or favor,” the DPOS Chief said.
Earlier, the DPOS during the first day implementation of 60-kilometer per hour speed limit along Commonwealth had already apprehended 27 pedestrians for jaywalking and 42 erring drivers for various traffic violations and 1 for illegal towing.
The number of apprehension was aside from the MMDA-monitored traffic violations under the “no-contact policy” which reportedly reached 300.
Under the no-contact policy, erring motorists caught on tape will receive a notice from the MMDA containing the information on his/her violation such as the time, date and place where the alleged traffic violation was committed, the corresponding fine and a still photo taken from the video showing the driver in the act of violations of traffic rules.
The new traffic scheme allows violators to pay their fine a week after the commission of the traffic violation. If they fail to do so, they will receive a second notice and if they are still not able to settle the case, their names will be placed on the alarm list of the Land Transportation Office and their driver’s license and vehicle registration papers will not be renewed.-30- Maureen Quinones, PAISO
