REPLACE NCAP WITH A TRAFFIC VIOLATION PREVENTION PROGRAM

Prevent the violation. Correct its causes. Protect the people.

*Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope, PhD, EdD, DM

During a Grab ride, our conversation turned to NCAP. The driver told me that his accumulated fines had reached almost ₱40,000.

Forty thousand pesos.

I did not examine his tickets and cannot judge each violation. But his frustration stayed with me. Fuel, maintenance, vehicle payments, and household expenses were already competing for his earnings. How many more hours would he need to drive just to pay the fines?

That encounter brought me to a larger question: Why are we giving so much attention to catching traffic violators, while giving insufficient attention to preventing the violations themselves?

Madaling manghuli kapag magulo ang kalsada. Ang mas mahirap, at mas mahalagang trabaho, ay tukuyin kung bakit nagkakagulo at paano ito maiiwasan.

I propose replacing NCAP because prevention should determine how we design and manage our roads, with apprehension serving as a supporting measure.

Let us be realistic. Traffic violations will not disappear simply because we introduce a new program. May magkakamali pa rin. May sadyang susuway. No responsible proposal should promise otherwise.

But issuing more tickets does not automatically mean better discipline. Neither does a higher recorded total, by itself, prove that NCAP has failed; more cameras may simply detect more offenses.

The question is straightforward: are motorists becoming safer and less likely to repeat their violations?

Hindi sapat ang pagpapadala ng ticket. Kailangang makita kung may natututuhan ang driver at may nagbabago sa kanyang pagmamaneho.

A fine can discourage misconduct. But it cannot repair confusing lane markings, provide a missing loading bay, or correct poorly coordinated traffic signals.

As the familiar saying goes, prevention is better than cure. Traffic management should identify the causes of congestion and violations, then address them through preventive policies, education, road improvements, and timely intervention.

That is the purpose of a Traffic Violation Prevention Program. It has the potential to make a substantial difference, provided its results are tested honestly.

Ano ang sanhi ng paglabag, at ano ang ginawa natin upang alisin iyon?

Begin with what happens before the offense. Is the driver deliberately reckless? Is the instruction unclear? Does the road require a sudden merge? Are passengers waiting where no safe loading area exists?

Kapag biglang nawawala ang lane, ayusin ang transition at babala. Kapag malabo ang patakaran, ipaliwanag. Kapag roadworks ang bumabara, ayusin ang iskedyul at diversion.

Provide practical education for misunderstood rules and targeted retraining for repeat offenders, alongside appropriate penalties. Dangerous driving requires prompt intervention.

Hindi pare-pareho ang sanhi ng paglabag. Kaya hindi rin dapat multa lamang ang sagot sa lahat.

Congestion does not excuse dangerous behavior. But crowded, confusing roads can make mistakes more likely. Government must reduce those risks while holding motorists accountable.

Vehicle volume and parking must also form part of the response. Limited road space cannot indefinitely accommodate moving vehicles alongside cars stored on public streets.

Dito dapat isulong ang isang makatarungang proof-of-parking requirement, na madalas tawaging “no garage, no car.” May mga panukalang proof-of-parking sa Kongreso. Panahon nang seryosohin ang pagtalakay sa mga ito at bumuo ng patas, praktikal na batas.

Vehicle ownership includes responsibility for lawful parking, whether through an owned garage or a legitimate rented space.

Hindi dapat tirahan o estado sa buhay ang batayan. Pareho ang tanong para sa lahat: may maayos bang paradahan, o ipinapasa sa publiko ang sagabal?

Parking reform alone will not solve rush-hour congestion. Reliable public transport, coordinated deliveries, and workable school and workplace schedules also deserve attention.

Kung gusto nating mag-commute ang motorista, dapat may masasakyan siyang maaasahan—pati pauwi, kapag pagod na siya at gusto nang makapiling ang pamilya.

Bilang dating konsehal ng San Mateo, Rizal, na namuno sa Committee on Transportation at Municipal Transportation Regulatory Office, natutuhan kong kailangang pakinggan ang mga gumagamit ng kalsada. Sa papel, madaling gumuhit ng ruta. Sa aktuwal, may tsuper na naghahabol ng boundary at pasaherong malalate sa trabaho.

Cameras can help identify congestion, accidents, obstructions, and recurring hazards. At suitable locations, trained personnel could use loudspeakers for immediate guidance:

“Driver ng puting van, gamitin po ang loading area sa unahan.”

“Pakiluwagan ang tawiran kapag ligtas nang umusad.”

Hindi kailangang gawing buong-araw na sermon ang intersection. Clear, respectful instructions can help correct a situation before it becomes more dangerous.

Loudspeakers cannot address every offense. Dangerous driving requires trained officers; deliberate refusal and repeated violations require proportionate consequences. Body cameras, electronic tickets, cashless payments, and accessible appeals should protect the integrity of enforcement.

Prevention does not mean removing accountability. It means acting before the mistake, while retaining consequences for those who deliberately disregard clear rules.

Test the replacement in selected areas before a full transition. Compare its results fairly with NCAP strengthened by prevention measures. If it produces safer roads and fewer repeat violations, expand it. If it falls short, improve it.

Ang mahalaga ay kung ano ang epektibo para sa mamamayan. Hindi dapat pangalan ng programa ang ipinagtatanggol, kundi buhay at kaligtasan ng gumagamit ng kalsada.

When my Grab ride ended, I thought again about the driver and his reported ₱40,000 in fines. He may have offenses for which he must answer. He also deserves clear rules, fair treatment, and a road system that helps him comply.

Tapos na ang biyahe ko. Siya, kailangan pang bumiyahe.

May gasolina pang bibilhin, bayaring hahabulin, at pamilyang naghihintay sa kanyang pag-uwi.

Replace NCAP with a Traffic Violation Prevention Program.

Madaling manghuli. Ang tunay na mahusay na pamamahala ay marunong pumigil sa paglabag—bago may masaktan, bago may mapinsala, at bago mabawasan na naman ang panghapunan ng isang pamilya.

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Warm regards,

Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope

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*About the author:

Dr. Rodolfo “John” Ortiz Teope is a distinguished Filipino academic, public intellectual, and advocate for civic education and public safety, whose work spans local academies and international security circles. With a career rooted in teaching, research, policy, and public engagement, he bridges theory and practice by making meaningful contributions to academic discourse, civic education, and public policy. Dr. Teope is widely respected for his critical scholarship in education, management, economics, doctrine development, and public safety; his grassroots involvement in government and non-government organizations; his influential media presence promoting democratic values and civic consciousness; and his ethical leadership grounded in Filipino nationalism and public service. As a true public intellectual, he exemplifies how research, advocacy, governance, and education can work together in pursuit of the nation’s moral and civic mission.

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