City raises P2-M from traffic violations

Thousands of erring drivers were apprehended last year for various offenses and penalized by the metro traffic enforcers, the traffic licenses section of the City Mayor's Office reported.

In a comparative report submitted to Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, license-in-charge Rafaelito T. Jamolo said the apprehensions made the city coffers richer by P2,947,421.00 in fines and penalties collected from the violations.

However, Jamolo said the number of drivers caught from January to December of 2004 was lower than in 2003 when a total of 58,467 drivers were apprehended and P3,676,710.000 in fines were collected.

Last year, Jamolo said the biggest number of arrests occurred in September with 5,718 drivers caught and P331,760.00 collected in fines. The rest of the tally are: January - 3,241 apprehended and P218,390 collected in fines; February - 3,329 apprehended and P200,230.00 collected in fines; March - 3,680 apprehended and P206,150 collected in fines; April - 2,530 apprehended and P165,265.00 collected in fines; May - 3,252 apprehended and P202,710 collected in fines; June - 4,580 apprehended and PP261,630.00 collected in fines; July - 4,935 apprehended and P290,400.00 collected in fines; August - 5,061 apprehended and P292,800 collected in fines; October - 5,434 apprehended and P301,110.00 collected in fines; November - 4,941 apprehended and P273,650 collected in fines; December - 3,529 apprehended and P203,326.00 collected in fines.

In the same report, Jamolo noted an increase in the number of apprehensions in the first three months of this year. The TMEU has recorded a total of P715,270 in penalty payments from 13,025 erring drivers broken down as follows: January - 4,056 apprehended and P222,710.00 collected in fines; February - 4,479 apprehended and P246,780 collected in fines; and March - 4,490 apprehended and P245,780 collected in fines.

Jamolo pointed to the continuing lack of discipline among the growing number of drivers and motorists in the city as one of the major reasons for the spiralling trend of traffic arrests.

Meanwhile, Treñas urged all drivers and motorists in the city to observe proper traffic rules and regulations to avoid fines and inconvenience. The mayor stressed that the smooth flow of vehicular traffic will not only redound to everyone's benefit, but will also cut fuel losses caused by traffic standstills. (Adora Bandorio/PIO)