The Metro Manila Council is still finalizing the bond amount for its digital payment platforms before it fully implements the single-ticketing system in the metropolis.

"Last week, we had the Metro Manila Council meeting, and we are just waiting for the finalization of the bond amount," San Juan City Mayor and MMC president Francis Zamora said in an interview on DAILY TRIBUNE's online show Straight Talk on Tuesday.

He added: "There has to be a bond because violations will come into the digital payment platforms. That is not paid directly to us [the local government units] because the single ticketing system will allow people to pay for their violations anywhere in the country."

The single ticketing system, he said, standardizes violations and the amount of fines to be collected from traffic violators.

"Your license will no longer be confiscated. There'll be no need to go to city hall to pay your fine because you can pay through GCash and other online payment platforms," Zamora said.

Earlier, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said the full implementation of the single ticketing system will start this month.

"The single ticketing system is 28 years in the making because it was really very hard to get all 17 Metro Manila local governments to have a common stand," Zamora said. "In the single ticketing system, through the Metro Manila Traffic Code, which was signed this year, we have 20 standard traffic violations with uniform fines."

Hope for NCAP

Meanwhile, Zamora said he hopes the legal issues hindering the implementation of the no-contact apprehension policy or NCAP implementation will be resolved soon.

In August last year, the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order stopping the implementation of the policy after several transport groups filed a petition against local ordinances related to the NCAP in some cities of Metro Manila.

The NCAP is designed to apprehend traffic violators using closed-circuit television, digital cameras, gadgets, and other technology.

Zamora said the NCAP would instill discipline in motorists and reduce road accidents.

"It keeps you disciplined because even if there are no traffic enforcers, you know that you have to follow the traffic rules, drive within the speed limit, and you cannot violate traffic regulations," Zamora said.

"That's what we want to instill here in Metro Manila, that even without traffic enforcers, and even if you're driving alone on Ortigas Avenue, you will stop when the traffic light is red," he added.

He said people should not be afraid of the policy if they do not violate traffic rules.

"You will only be fined if you violate a traffic rule. If there are no traffic enforcers, motorists tend to beat the red light and will violate traffic regulations," he added.