Metro Manila’s countdown timer/no-contact apprehension program (NCAP) saga continues. Now, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) is calling out the latter’s implementation, saying those responsible for it should address the issue of inconsistent countdown timers first.
During a recent interview with One Balita Pilipinas, LTO chief Teofilo ‘Jojo’ Guadiz III expressed some of the agency’s frustrations regarding the implementation of NCAP across various local governments.
According to the official, it is not motorists’ fault that the use as well as the operation of countdown timers across Metro Manila is inconsistent.
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“Unang-una po, dapat yung timer, iayos nila, kasi yung ibang traffic light walang timer, at pag nag-traffic na at naabutan sila sa gitna, sila po ay minumultahan,” he said.
“Hindi po dapat ganun. Hindi naman po kasalanan ng tao na naabutan po siya ng yellow and then ng red light sa gitna ng daan. So there must be a way out of this.”
The LTO chief added that local government units (LGU) should sit down with the agency to iron out the implementation of NCAP within their respective jurisdictions.
“Kaya po inaanyayahan natin yung mga local governments concerned na nagpapatupad nito na maupo [kasama namin] at once and for all plantsahin po namin, dahil ako po sumasang-ayon sa inyo—may mga dapat pa hong pagbabago na gagawin natin sa batas na ito,” the official said during the interview.
In case you missed it, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has already expressed its intent to do away with traditional countdown timers at intersections in favor of using a more advanced adaptive traffic light system. Agency Task Force Special Operations head Bong Nebrija explained the logic behind the MMDA’s move in a recent video.
So, do you agree with the LTO’s take regarding this issue? Let us know in the comments.
