Huli ka!

Smile! You're on camera!

MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando has announced on Sunday, January 25, 2009, that the MMDA has started using traffic surveillance cameras on EDSA to catch traffic violators in the act. The program, which is currently on a three month trial stage, was implemented in support of their "no physical contact" policy. Similar to "speed camera" programs used in other countries around the world, violators caught on tape will be sent a notice (presumably, to the address indicated on the vehicle's registration) which will contain the details of their violation as well as a still photo of the vehicle "in the act". Violators will then have 7 days upon receipt of the notice to either file an appeal with the Traffic Adjudication Board or pay the fine at any Metrobank branch. Failure to pay within the 7 days will automatically result in the flagging of the vehicle's registration and/or the owner's driver's license, which will be cause for their non-renewal.

For those of you who are interested, you can get more details on the MMDA's traffic surveillance cameras here.

Didn't they implement a similar program a few years back? I seem to recall some friends telling me that they've received a violation notices before, mostly those who were caught on camera driving on the yellow lanes. Anyway, I hope they're able to iron out the details on this as issues such as other people driving somebody else's car and relatively short videos not telling the whole story are bound to cause some confusion (and irritation, at least on the part of the vehicle owners).