The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Monday warned motorists that traffic enforcers will continue to issue traffic citation tickets to erring drivers despite a moratorium on the confiscation of driver’s licenses.

In a Laging Handa briefing, MMDA spokesperson Melissa Carunungan said traffic tickets issued to motorists would have to be settled with the office of the apprehending officer such as the local government unit (LGU), the MMDA, or the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

“May moratorium sa pangungumpiska sa lisensya pero ililista ng LGUs ang lahat ng nahuli at ibibigay po ito sa LTO; ito ay iri-record po sa sistema ng LTO (There is a moratorium on confiscating licenses but LGUs will list all those apprehended and these will be given to the LTO to be recorded),” Carunungan said.

This after the Metro Manila Council (MMC) — composed of the 17 mayors in the National Capital Region (NCR) led by the MMDA — and the LTO agreed on Saturday to suspend the confiscation of driver’s licenses until the single ticketing system in NCR is rolled out.

Once the system is rolled out, she said drivers with citation tickets may settle their fines online through the LTO.

“Revenue naman nito ay pupunta pa rin sa corresponding issuing agency (the revenue from this will go to the corresponding issuing agency),” she said.

Aside from paying fines, she noted that erring drivers will earn demerit points from the LTO depending on their traffic violation.

“Lahat ng demerits ng isang driver ay makikita po sa sistema ng LTO at maaapektuhan po ang period ng validity ng lisensya nila upon renewal (All demerit points will be visible in the LTO system and will affect the length of validity of their license upon renewal),” she said.

In addition, she said a driver’s license will be confiscated under the new system once a driver earns 10 demerit points.

“Halimbawa po, kapag nahuli po kayo dahil sa disregarding traffic sign, iyan ay magdudulot po ng isang demerit point. Kapag nahuli naman po kayo sa driving without a license, magdudulot po iyon ng five demerit points (For example, if you’re caught disregarding a traffic sign, that will earn you one demerit point. If you’re caught driving without a license, that will earn you five demerit points),” she said.

The single ticketing system, she said, is eyed to begin implementation by the first quarter of 2023. (PNA)