THE Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) collected P300,000 worth of penalties from erring motorcycle drivers and violators of the anti-jaywalking and anti-smoking ordinances from October 1 to 31.
Superintendent Luisito Acebuche, head of BTAO, said Tuesday, November 21, that for October alone, hundreds of motorcycle riders were apprehended for not using helmets and were fined P300 for first offense.
Penalty is P500, and then P1,000 for second and third offenses, respectively.
Acebuche said several colorum tricycles were also impounded and the drivers were fined P1,500 each.
More than 100 persons were also fined for violating the anti-jaywalking and anti-smoking ordinances.
The City Government is strictly implementing City Ordinance 338, or the Comprehensive Traffic Ordinance, which includes the regulation of public utility jeepney routes and parking areas, and elimination of jaywalking; and City Ordinance 641, Series of 2013, which regulates smoking in public places, including public conveyances, and advertisement, promotions, and sponsorships of tobacco products.
Acebuche said the jaywalkers are fined of P100, P200, and P300 for the first, second, and third offenses, respectively.
Most of the violators were caught at the downtown area.
The anti-smoking violators are fined P500 for first offense; P1,000 for second offense; and P2,500 for third offense.
Acebuche said the Bacolod City Anti-Smoking Task Force (BASTF)-Action Team tasked them to concentrate on violators inside the public utility jeepneys only.
“We are intensifying our operations to arrest the violators in various areas," he said.
BTAO has a total of 430 traffic enforcers, including those with regular positions.
