(Eagle News)—Around 300 personnel from the Philippine National Police’s Highway Patrol Group are set to be deployed to help in traffic enforcement in the country.
The commitment to deploy the policemen in support of “wider, more sustained and intensified” Inter-agency Council for Traffic (iACT) enforcement operations was contained in an agreement signed by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.
Earlier this March, Tugade also ordered the deployment of Philippine Coast Guard for the operations.
Apart from the manpower, the DILG also committed to provide 24 mobile cars and 82 motorcycle units to I-ACT.
“Lubos akong nagpapasalamat sa DILG at sa PNP sa buong suportang ibinibigay nila sa DOTr at sa I-ACT. Malaking tulong ito sa pagpapalakas ng ating pwersa sa kalsada, at sa maayos na pagpapatupad ng batas trapiko,” Tugade said.
Deputy Executive Director and I-ACT Communications Head Elmer Argaño expressed optimism that with the incoming combined 400 personnel from both the HPG and the Philippine Coast Guard, “I-ACT can help cover key choke points in Metro and other regional centers.”
According to Argaño, in 2018, IACT apprehended more than 846 illegally operating PUVs and gave tickets to more than 8346 for various traffic violations.
I-ACT chief and Transportation Assistant Secretary for Special Concerns Manny Gonzales, for his part, lauded the partnership between government agencies that he said will “greatly boost” enforcement capabilities.