Have you ever experienced being fined in one city of Metro Manila but living in another one? This meant that you have to settle everything in the area where you were caught. For some, they even had to take leaves from work since it’s only on weekdays that these government offices are open. Such a hassle on both time and effort, right?

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Good thing this concern has been in the talks of NCR mayors and the route to go was to implement the Single Ticketing System under the Metro Manila Traffic Code. This will be a joint effort among the LGU heads, the Land Transportation Office (LTO), and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

What is the Single Ticketing System?

The aim of this effort is to launch a standard process for traffic violator apprehension in the whole of Metro Manila. The Technical Working Group (TWG)’s goal is for motorists to have a clear understanding of all the traffic violation guidelines while still making it convenient for them. Given these, what are the changes in the provisions?

Driver’s License Confiscation

Source: Autodeal

One of the process changes that go with this initiative is that the driver’s license won’t be surrendered to the enforcer outside. The automation of the system will enable this license to be uploaded to the database automatically which will reflect both the violation and the penalty. This will remove the hassle of going to offices, while not being able to drive, just to retrieve the said ID. 

Change in Fines

As of writing, there is no official complete list yet of the violations along with their fines. But there had been a top-line view on the most common ones. For instance, the fine for not wearing a helmet while driving a motorcycle is Php 1,000 for the majority of the LGUs, but with the emergence of the single ticketing system, this will be increased to Php 1,500. Loading and unloading in restricted areas will now be charged Php 1,000 from the original Php 500.

There will also be changes in the intensity of the penalties, depending on the number of offenses that the motorist has faced in the past. Drivers will also be given 30 days to counter or challenge their violations. 

Mode of Payment

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In the past, it was definitely an inconvenience to go to the offices’ cashiers to pay for the set fines. However, one helpful modification through the Single Ticketing System is the ability to pay through either Bayad Centers or mobile applications. This will ease the process of settling your penalties. 

Demerit System

Although there are no specific details yet on the Demerit System, this is the best way for responsible offices to keep track of the performance of the drivers. This will help eliminate roads from erring motorists. No consequences were announced yet for those with high demerit points but offhand, they are seeing that this will lead to driving suspension or affect the renewal of the license. 

Date of Implementation

According to LTO Chief Jose Arturo Tugade, LTO is eyeing the jumpstart of the Single Ticketing System in the first quarter of 2023. No specific month has been cascaded though. According to them, there are ongoing consultative meetings with relevant stakeholders but the skeleton of the effort has already been drafted. 

Final Thoughts

What are your initial thoughts on the emerging Single Ticketing System? Will this finally remove the inconveniences of settling traffic violations? On the side, will this be the answer to lingering road issues such as “kotong cops” and extortion? Let’s find out as we enter a more digitized and unified process this 2023.