No touch!

The No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) currently being implemented by the MMDA in anticipation of EDSA’s proposed rehabilitation has drawn mixed reactions from motorists. Some sincerely believe it effectively curbs corruption and other forms of extortion by doing away with face-to-face dealings with traffic enforcers. Others argue that it doesn’t address the root causes of Metro Manila’s chronic gridlock and may, ironically, exacerbate the ordeal every commuter suffers through daily.

In a nutshell, the scheme encourages motorists to police themselves by observing traffic rules without being supervised. Vehicles caught committing violations are recorded via CCTV and other surveillance cameras. A notice of violation is sent through the mail — though the MMDA is reportedly developing an app to send notices via text. Motorists must then pay the fine either online or in person at the MMDA Redemption Office in Pasig. If unpaid, the license plate is flagged in the LTO’s alarm list, blocking registration until penalties are settled.

A Manila-based lawyer previously filed a petition with the Supreme Court after being fined P20,000 by the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau for four alleged violations — only discovering the charges after being barred from registering his SUV. Like earlier complaints raised by a transport group, the lawyer cited a lack of legal basis, violations of privacy, and denial of due process. He also pointed out that the program lacks clear guidelines for challenging violations, despite allowing appeals as a remedy.

In other countries, NCAP has been in place for years and has proven effective, primarily because their motorists are generally disciplined and their governments provide the necessary infrastructure to support it. Here, we can’t even maintain clear lane markings. Combine that with the staggering 3.82 million vehicles that traverse Metro Manila’s narrow roads daily — most of them motorcycles — and you get the perfect storm for chaos.

Many drivers in the Philippines don’t even know the basic rules of the road, having bribed their way to a license. Without a comprehensive public education — or more accurately, re-education — campaign, these so-called kamote drivers will continue to recklessly navigate the streets, making NCAP implementation a logistical nightmare.

At the heart of our traffic woes lies corruption. Our “solutions” often come in the form of volume reduction schemes like number coding or odd-even systems, which don’t reduce volume at all. Instead, they motivate wealthier motorists to purchase additional vehicles to bypass restrictions. So instead of one car on the road, you now have two — brilliant!

Another factor worsening the problem is population congestion. In developed countries, residential buildings aren’t allowed within central business districts to decongest urban centers. Here, due to rampant bribery, local government units routinely grant permits to real estate developers to construct high-rise condos along main roads, including EDSA. The result? More people, more cars, and even worse traffic.

Our traffic enforcers? Many are more interested in extortion than enforcement. They lurk in shady corners like predators. Even Waze now routinely warns drivers: “May nagtatagong pulis sa ilalim ng puno!”

In countries with functioning systems, NCAP works precisely because there’s no overpopulation of people or vehicles. That allows governments to focus on developing comprehensive mass transport systems, giving people a real alternative to using private vehicles.

But in the Philippines, until we create the right infrastructure — and that requires genuine political will and corruption-free governance — NCAP will remain another gimmick. A band-aid solution. Or worse, another bureaucratic milking cow cleverly disguised as reform.

And with almost 4 million vehicles on the road each day, no enforcement scheme —contact or no contact — will truly work unless we reduce the actual number of vehicles. Otherwise, we’re just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic while pretending we’re fixing the ship.