MindanaoToday.com | Normin lacks enforcers to secure land travelers
By: Uriel Quilinguing
Agencies of government directly involved in public land transport in Northern Mindanao acknowledged on Tuesday, June 4, they need more personnel to secure travelers from health, safety and security risks at motor vehicle terminals and on the road.
Despite lack of personnel, the Land Transportation Office for Northern Mindanao (LTO-10) reported that they have apprehended 15,692 motor vehicles since January until end of May this year for various violations. These include motor vehicles that were unregistered, with expired license, and no longer roadworthy.
Last year, road accident was the 12th leading cause of deaths, data generated by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) indicate. PSA recorded 9,439 persons deaths due vehicular accidents from January to November 2023, across the country.
Speaking during a Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum in Cagayan de Oro, LTO-10 Regional Director Nelson Manaloto said their five-month accomplishment this year has surpassed half of their 2023 record of 26,448 apprehensions. Northern Mindanao is composed of Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, and Misamis Oriental provinces.
Manaloto said that aside from organic personnel, he attributed the 59-percent performance against last year’s total to their force-multipliers, the individuals they have deputized as traffic law enforcers.
For instance, an LTO-10 law enforcement team is augmented by 10 personnel whose salaries are paid by the provincial government of Misamis Oriental. In Cagayan de Oro, Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) personnel are LTO-deputized traffic law enforcers.
Manaloto said he was also assured by Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez that criminology graduates would be hired for six months under the Government Internship Program (GIP) to reinforce traffic law enforcement.
Abosamen Matuan, regional director of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in Northern Mindanao, said they also lack personnel to run after public utility vehicles operating illegally, including those without franchise and unrenewed franchises.
Matuan said they only have seven law enforcers for the entire region, a concern he has raised in recent Northern Mindanao Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) meeting. He said he has already reminded bus companies to put in place their safety and security measures, including the use of metal detectors and in the conduct of ocular inspections on baggage and cargoes.
On road worthiness, LTO conducts vehicle inspections, particularly buses, at public transport terminals, garage, and on the road. These terminals are not under the Department of Transportation (DoTr), the mother agency of LTO and LTFRB, since these are either supervised by the local government or operated by private firms.
About 4% of motor vehicles that were inspected during the pre-school opening, All Souls Day, Christmas, and Holy Week are no longer fit to be on the road. Before Lenten season this year, 96 percent of the 3,515 vehicles passed the inspections while 141 failed. (MT).
###