EXPECT deputized traffic agents manning highway checkpoints this week.
This as the under-manned traffic enforcers from the Land Transportation Office in Region 7 trains force multipliers in implementing traffic and road safety measures, LTO Director Edgar Catarungan told mayors gathered during the recent meeting in Batuan, Bohol.
Catarungan joined Bohol LTO Registrar Joel Maloloy-on and traffic management group commander SPO4 Mohammed Akil in an audience with the mayors to seek their support in the information campaign launched by the government to address road safety issues.
Moreover, the LTO Director also asked mayors for help in ironing the dented and tarnished image of the government’s agency.
Before, the LTO has deployed deputized traffic enforcers from the local police stations and well meaning civilian volunteers.
However, instead of solving the problem of traffic enforcement, the deputization scheme steamrolled into one big corruption issue threatening to flatten LTO’s credibility.
Approaching the problem anew, Catarungan reasoned out that the deputized agents now would come from the endorsed task force members created by the mayors, to shorten the supervisory reins over the local driver overseers.
“This way, it would be easy for the LTO to issue Temporary Operator’s Permits and have the mayors account them”, Catarungan explained.
At the meeting, the LTO also urged mayors to manage the week-end deputization training graduates so as to simplify the road safety problem in their specific areas.
The LTO also cleared with mayors the use of red-plates amidst the on-going nationwide LTO operation against unauthorized and unofficial use of government vehicles as a support to the government austerity program.
On their part, mayors pledged support for the LTOs mandates especially when the crackdown against colorum vehicles and kotong has drained local governments of precious revenues from registrations and other permits. (rachiu/PIA)
