P3,000 traffic fine mulled

MOTORISTS in Cebu City had better beware.

The Cebu City Government is toying with the idea of raising the penalty for traffic violations from P1,000 to P3,000 as a way to discipline erring drivers.

Aside from disciplining erring drivers, the City’s income from traffic fines will go up should the plan push through, said Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) operation head Francisco “Isko” Ouano.

But while some support raising traffic penalties to P3,000, others believe it is too much.

Ouano told SunStar Cebu that the idea came from Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who wanted to triple the cost of traffic fines.

Affected violations

But Ouano clarified that only traffic violations that have a minimum penalty of P1,000 will be affected.

These include disregarding traffic signs like no entry and no U-turn; disregarding the go and stop signals; no left turn, no right turn; PUJ stop; no parking anytime; no stopping; and right and left turn only.

Other traffic violations with a minimum P1,000 penalty are reckless driving, diagonal parking, parallel parking, parking on opposite direction, parking on sidewalk, parking on intersection, parking on corner, parking on driveway, parking on PUJ and bus stops, double parking, overnight parking, driving on sidewalk, backride below seven years old, not following route, truck-ban violation, stopping on junction box and loading and unloading and obstruction, among others.

Osmeña wanted to raise traffic fines because of the worsening traffic situation in the city, Ouano said.

“Now. I want to implement that right away. Motorists will follow traffic laws if the penalties are steep,” Ouano said in Cebuano, when reporters asked when the mayor plans to implement the new fines.

Higher income

Ouano said that although the proposal will also raise CCTO’s income, it’s not the reason they want to raise traffic fines. They want to promote better traffic management, he said.

The CCTO collects at least P8 million a month, which comes from administrative penalties from violators, Ouano said.

Ouano also urged motorists not to take for granted the citation tickets even if they only pay small fines.

In a separate interview, City Councilor Dave Tumulak said he is ready to sponsor an ordinance to raise traffic fines.

Last March, Tumulak sponsored an ordinance raising traffic fines from P500 to P1,000.

“Let’s amend the penalties because that’s what our mayor wants and he is the city’s chief executive,” Tumulak said in Cebuano.

Some groups like the Cebu Integrated Transport Service Cooperative supported Osmeña’s plan.

Jericho Mari Jumapao, Citrasco chairman, said it could help solve the city’s traffic problem.

He said they continuously remind their drivers to follow traffic rules to avoid paying fines and causing traffic.

Criticism

But for Richard Cabucos, Metro Cebu Taxi Operators Association president, raising traffic penalties to P3,000 is too much, especially for drivers who can hardly make ends meet.

Cabucos believes the proposed P3,000 penalty should only be imposed on drivers of private vehicles since they can afford it.

He said the current P1,000 traffic fine is already a clear warning to drivers not to commit traffic violations.

Cabucos admitted that some drivers are forced to break traffic laws because of their passengers.

Meanwhile, he criticized the mayor for expanding the operations of Angkas, a motorcycle-hailing app.

Cabucos said taxi operators have been greatly affected by Angkas, which he blamed for the city’s worsening traffic situation.

Cabucos said Osmeña initiated Angkas and even provided motorcycle quotas to the city’s 80 barangays.

He believes that Osmeña’s moves with Angkas show his own personal interest, especially with the midterm elections fast approaching. (JKV)