Everything You Need to Know About the Violations Under Metro Manila's Single Ticketing System

(SPOT.ph) The pilot run of the single ticketing system in Metro Manila takes effect this Tuesday, May 2, allowing cities and municipalities in the National Capital Region to follow the same traffic laws with the same penalties and fines.

The traffic rules under the Metro Manila Traffic Code of 2023 will be tested first in the cities of San Juan, Muntinlupa, Quezon City, Valenzuela, Parañaque, Manila, and Caloocan before it will be launched region-wide. 

Erring motorists can pay via online payment channels or anywhere in the seven cities where the single ticketing system is in effect. They can also pay through the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority website, the agency said.

Payment for fines will be cashless which could help curb corruption and negotiations between the driver and officers, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said earlier.

Also read: Take Note: Metro Manila's Single Ticketing System Starts in May

What are the traffic violations and fines under the Single Ticketing System?

Motorists will be fined the following amounts depending on the violations:

• Disregarding traffic signs - P1,000
• Obstruction - P1,000
• Overloading - P1,000
• Defective Motor Vehicle Accessories - P1,000
• Tricycle ban - P500
• Unauthorized modification - P2,000
• Arrogance or discourteous conduct (driver) - P500 and driver's seminar course

Illegal parking

• P1,000 if attended by the driver
• P2,000 and impoundment of vehicle, if unattended

Unified Vehicle Volume Reduction Program (Number Coding Scheme)

• P500

Exempted are:

• Public Utility Vehicles including tricycles
• Transportation Network Vehicles (TNVS)
• Motorcycles
• Garbage trucks
• Fuel trucks
• Ambulances
• Fire trucks
• Registered and marked government vehicles
• Marked media vehicles
• Motor vehicles carrying essential or perishable gods
• Electric and hybrid vehicles

Truck ban

• P3,000

Exempted are:

• Garbage trucks
• Fuel trucks
• Trucks carrying essential and/or perishable goods

Light truck ban

• P2,000

Exempted are:

• Light trucks registered in the name of any government office, agency, or unit including the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) and duly marked as such
• Emergency vehicles such as, but not limited to, firetrucks and ambulances
• Light trucks carrying essential or perishable goods

Reckless driving

• First offense - P1,000
• Second offense - P1,000 with driver seminar
• Third and subsequent offenses - P2,000 with seminar

Dress code for motorcycle riders

• First offense - P500
• Second offense - P750
• Third offense - P1,000

Illegal counterflow

• P2,000
• P5,000 in case the illegal counterflow caused physical injuries or damage to properties without prejudice to the civil and criminal liability of the driver, registered owner, or operator of the motor vehicle

Mandatory use of seat belts

• First offense - P1,000
• Second offense - P2,000
• Third and subsequent offenses - P5,000 with one-week suspension of driver's license

Child safety in motor vehicles

Any driver in violation of the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act:

• First offense - P1,000
• Second offense - P2,000
• Third and subsequent offenses - P5,000 with the suspension of driver's license for a period of one year

Any driver who allows the use of a substandard and/or expired child restraint system or permits the use of a child restraint system that does not bear the Philippine Safety (PS) mark or the Import Clearance Certificate (ICC) sticker and certificate:

• First offense - P1,000
• Second offense - P3,000
• Third and subsequent offenses - P5,000 with the suspension of driver's license for a period of one year

Children's Safety on Motorcycles

Any person who violates the Children's Safety on Motorcycle Act:

• First offense - P3,000
• Second offense - P5,000
• Third offense - P10,000 with the one-month suspension of driver's license
• Subsequent offenses - P10,000 and automatic revocation of driver's license

Mandatory use of motorcycle helmet

Any driver in violation of the Mandatory Use of Motorcycle Helmet Act:

• First offense - P1,500
• Second offense - P3,000
• Third offense - P5,000
• Fourth offense - P10,000 with confiscation of the driver's license

Any person who uses, sells, and distributes substandard motorcycle helmets or those which do not bear the PS mark or the ICC certificate:

• First offense - P3,000
• Second offense - P5,000 without prejudice to other penalties imposed under the Consumer Act of the Philippines

Anti-Distracted Driving Act

Any person who violates the Anti-Distracting Driving Act:

• First offense - P5,000
• Second offense - P10,000
• Third offense - P15,000 with the three-month suspension of driver's license
• Subsequent offenses - P20,000 with revocation of driver's license

Any driver of a PUV, school bus, school service vehicle, common carrier hauling volatile, flammable, or toxic material, or a driver who commits an act classified herein as distracted driving within the 50-meter radius of the school premises:

• P30,000 with the suspension of driver's license for three months

What will happen during apprehension?

When a motorist gets apprehended, authorized or deputized traffic personnel will give them a citation ticket printed using a handheld device, said the MMDA. The same device can also validate and authenticate the driver's license and vehicle registration, and can also show if the driver has demerit points or if the vehicle is suspended, or if it has alarms.

Motorists may also pay fines through these devices, the MMDA said.

Also read: Reminder: Right-of-Way Traffic Violations Can Land You a P1,000 Fine

Will traffic enforcers confiscate my driver's license?

As a general rule: no, traffic enforcers are not allowed to confiscate licenses if the violation happened in Metro Manila. However, they may confiscate driver's licenses if:

• The violator has fines they have yet to settle
• The violator has 10 demerit points—which counts every violation—resulting in the suspension of the driver's license
• The violator has 40 demerit points resulting in the cancellation of the driver's license
• The vehicle isn't registered
• The motorist is involved in an accident
• The motorist is under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Other similar incidents

Refusing to hand over your driver's license may result in other violations, MMDA said.

In case your driver's license, plate, or other documents were confiscated, you may claim it from the respective redemption offices.

How to contest violations

If you plan to contest violations, you may do so within 10 working days from the day you received the citation ticket.

Visit the MMDA Traffic Adjudication Board for protests and complaints or at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) or LGU that issued the citation ticket.

You may also opt to e-mail the respective office that issued the ticket.

If the violation receives no contest within the prescribed period, the violation will be forwarded to the LTO for the tagging of demerit points. The motorist's license and/or vehicle will also be placed on the alarm list which can only be lifted once the corresponding fine has been paid.