The City Government of Baguio is in talks with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for the implementation of the single ticketing system in the city, pending the formal signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the city government and the LTO.
LTO Director II Atty. Noreen Bernadette San Luis-Lutey informed the Baguio City Council during the regular session on May 13, 2024 that the No Contact Apprehension Program (NCAP) by the LTO is under a temporary restraining order (TRO) by the Supreme Court, rendering it unimplementable. Instead of the NCAP, the agency initiated the single ticketing system or the LTO-LGU interconnectivity project pursuant to Republic Act No. 10930.
Lutey clarified that the single ticketing system is entirely different from the NCAP affected by the TRO. She said this project involves traffic enforcers using handheld devices that enable real-time logging of traffic violations in the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS), which is distinct from the camera-based approach of the NCAP.
Launched in 2020, the LTMS is a web-based system hosted on the private cloud of LTO and is designed to consolidate all LTO services into a unified digital system. This initiative aims to streamline processes, reduce physical contact, and provide round-the-clock accessibility to LTO services.
According to Lutey, all traffic violations should be logged into the LTMS, with all LGUs integrated into this system. She added that a driver incurs an equivalent demerit point for every traffic violation committed.
A driver who has incurred 40 demerit points within the 10-year license validity period will have their license revoked. For every 10 demerit points, the driver will be required to undergo a driver’s reorientation program.
This project is seen to empower the LGUs in terms of traffic management. It has already been rolled out in all LGUs of Metro Manila, Bacoor City, and Naga City. If the city government signs the MOA, Baguio would be the third LGU to implement it outside Metro Manila.
Lutey stressed that the implementation of the project would adhere to the city’s traffic rules, not the LTO’s. Therefore, all the revenues generated by this project would go directly to the city government’s coffers. A portion of the funds will be utilized to purchase necessary equipment as well and to train the city’s traffic enforcers and possibly the increase of their salaries. She said these local traffic enforcers do not need to be deputized by the LTO in implementing the single ticketing system.
Lutey underscored that the project seeks to eliminate the practice of confiscating drivers’ licenses upon traffic violations. This is particularly beneficial for tourists who might be traveling far distances as they will not have to leave their licenses where they were apprehended.
Another key feature of the project is that it allows various payment options. Violations will be issued with a QR code that can be paid through various channels like GCash, 7/11 convenience store, and other payment options. This means that drivers can settle their fines even after they return home.
Lutey also stressed that this system reduces corruption on the road because licenses are not confiscated, and payments are made electronically.
With regard to conflicting penalties between the traffic rules of LGUs and LTO, Lutey said the enforcement will follow the penalties under the local ordinances. However, for violations covered by national laws, the national law might prevail. She mentioned that there is an effort to harmonize local ordinances with national laws to possibly adopt a common penalty system nationwide.
Representing the Department of Transportation-Cordillera (DOTr-CAR), Atty. Jessie Balagot expressed full support for the single ticketing system.
Balagot said a common issue faced in the city and other LGUs is that repeated offenders of traffic laws are apprehended, but the current system does not allow for tagging or encoding alarms which means that violations often go unpaid because there is no effective system to track and enforce penalties.
He further explained that with this project, apprehensions will be tagged to the LTMS which is a centralized database. Offenders will not be able to conduct transactions with the LTO, such as renewing their driver’s license or registering their vehicles until they settle their violations, thus enhancing the enforcement of traffic laws while also supporting the financial resources of the LGU.
The city council’s Committee on Laws, Human Rights, and Justice will study the MOA drafted by LTO and provide its recommendation afterward. **Jordan G. Habbiling
