AS ILOILO City grows, so does the number of vehicles and pedestrians competing for increasingly congested road space. But the metro does not merely have a traffic problem. It has a discipline problem. Counterflowing, illegal parking, jaywalking, blocking intersections, ignoring traffic signs, reckless driving and the casual disregard of lane discipline have become painfully familiar on many city streets.
The proposed ordinance creating Traffic Discipline Zones (TDZs) therefore deserves serious consideration. However, its most important feature may not be the fines of P1,000, P2,500 and eventually P5,000 for repeat offenders. Its real strength is the recognition of a simple principle too often forgotten in traffic enforcement: discipline must apply to the enforcer as much as to the enforced. That is crucial.
Government cannot demand respect for traffic laws while tolerating abusive, arrogant, inconsistent or questionable enforcement. Motorists cannot be lectured about discipline by an enforcer who himself disregards the rules governing apprehensions.
Under the proposal, traffic enforcers in TDZs would be prohibited from soliciting money, verbally abusing or physically harassing motorists, improperly confiscating driver’s licenses, or issuing citations without the required uniform, nameplate or deployment order. Violators among the ranks of enforcers could face suspension without pay and even dismissal, subject to applicable proceedings. That provision should not be watered down.
Councilor Sedfrey Cabaluna captured the essence of the measure: “Discipline should work both ways. If we are asking motorists to follow the rules, our traffic enforcers should also follow the rules and conduct themselves properly.”
Exactly. Traffic discipline cannot be built through intimidation. Neither can it be achieved by apprehending motorists only when enforcement drives are announced, only in selected areas, or only when enforcers happen to be watching.
The city needs predictability. A red light must mean stop every day. A no-parking zone must remain a no-parking zone whether an enforcer is present or not. Counterflowing must be prohibited whether the offender drives a motorcycle, jeepney, SUV or government vehicle. Jaywalking rules must apply consistently rather than selectively. And an abusive enforcer must face consequences just as surely as a reckless motorist.
But punishment alone will not create disciplined streets. Before imposing stiff penalties, City Hall must make compliance reasonably easy. Signs must be visible. Road markings must be unmistakable. Speed limits must be clearly posted. Loading and unloading areas must be properly designated. Pedestrian crossings must make sense. Traffic schemes must not leave motorists guessing what they are supposed to do.
Fortunately, the proposed ordinance recognizes this by requiring appropriate signs, road markings and an information campaign before enforcement begins. That requirement is fundamental. Government should never turn ambiguity into a revenue opportunity.
The objective of a Traffic Discipline Zone should not be to produce thousands of citation tickets or collect millions of pesos in fines. Its success should eventually be measured by the opposite: fewer violations, fewer apprehensions, fewer crashes, smoother traffic and safer streets.
As Cabaluna himself said, “It is not just about apprehending people or collecting fines. We want motorists and pedestrians to understand that there are rules that must be followed because these rules are ultimately about safety.”
The city therefore needs discipline zones — but it needs something bigger than zones. It needs a culture of road discipline. And that culture cannot be created by ordinances alone. It begins when motorists stop treating traffic rules as optional, pedestrians recognize their own responsibilities, and enforcers understand that the authority to apprehend comes with an equally serious obligation to act professionally and fairly.
Only then can Traffic Discipline Zones become what they ought to be — not punishment zones, not collection zones, but safety zones where the rules apply equally to everyone.
