The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) clarified that motorists who yield to emergency vehicles such as ambulances, fire trucks, and other official units will not be penalized under the No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP).
MMDA Chairman Romando Artes explained that CCTV footage is manually reviewed to ensure no violation tickets are issued arbitrarily, particularly when drivers have valid reasons such as avoiding danger or making way for emergencies.
However, Artes also stressed that emergency vehicles are not automatically exempt from traffic violations if found breaking the law without legitimate justification.
This comes as verified traffic violations decreased from 1,112 on Monday to 952 on Tuesday, May 27, which the MMDA sees as evidence of NCAP’s effectiveness.
Meanwhile, Manibela Chairman Mar Valbuena questioned the NCAP’s reinstatement, citing a lack of clear improvements in traffic facilities.
In response, Artes asserted that the system has long been in place and was not hastily implemented.
Scam Watch Pilipinas also recommended integrating violation verification and appeals into the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s (DICT) eGovPH app to help prevent phishing and scams using QR codes or fake links.
To address this, Artes announced that within one to two weeks, the MMDA will launch the “May Huli Ka” app and SMS notification system to allow motorists to quickly check for violations while safeguarding personal data.