Lower House passes contactless traffic apprehension bill

MANILA: The House of Representatives approved a bill mandating no physical contact while apprehending traffic violators.

During the plenary session yesterday, 180 legislators voted in support of House Bill 10811, also known as the No Contact Traffic Apprehension (NCTA) Act, which mandates the use of proper and available road surveillance technologies in the apprehension of traffic violators.

The bill seeks to reduce bribery and corruption, as well as abuse of authority, among traffic enforcers who employ physical or face-to-face apprehension, while also minimizing traffic enforcers' prolonged exposure to road hazards.

A No-Contact Apprehension Program (NCAP) has already been implemented in some cities in Metro Manila, including Parañaque, Valenzuela, Manila, and Quezon City. It has also been implemented in the city of Cauayan in Isabela and along the Roman Superhighway in Bataan.

According to the Bataan Provincial Information Office, the NCAP uses cameras with cutting-edge technology to accurately capture the conduction sticker and plate number of violating vehicles. When the system detects a violation, the traffic management board will evaluate and verify it before delivering a Notice of Violation to the vehicle's registered owner.

However, the NCTA Act mandates the erring driver's license to be tagged rather than the registration of the vehicle involved in a traffic violation. It also mandates a notification of the violation to the Land Transportation Office.

It shall reward law-abiding drivers whose licenses are clear of demerits every five years as defined by Republic Act No. 10930 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code.

Authorized traffic agencies may share data of drivers and other road users in accordance with Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

The bill also specifies a transition period for the NCTA's full implementation.

Photo from Philippine News Agency

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