Inrterview with General Filipino Amoguis- RTA Traffic Czar
On July 17, 2008, Cagayan Traffic Czar, General Filipino Amoguis, granted me this interview so that I might better understand the changes in the traffic routing and street law enforcement around the City of Cagayan de Oro. Both he and I are member of the Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro (The Mother Club), and also members of the Philippine Eagles Club of Cagayan de Oro. Still, he’s one tough guy, and I granted him no leeway and asked some very tough questions. He always had a good answer. This is one guy who is not slacking in his job, and I would encourage all Cagayanons to support his efforts. He is a tough guy in a tough position. He’s not making a lot of friends, but he is doing the right thing, I am convinced of this.
Michael Turner: I heard that there is a very visible improvement with the Traffic Management Group in Cagayan de Oro. What are these improvements?’
General Amoguis: We have pinpointed 2 major problems regarding traffic management in Cagayan de Oro. One is the organization itself of traffic issuance, or the enforcers; and the second one is the problem of street users. To address these problems, we have developed a vision for the RTA which has now become the basis of our program. Our vision is: The RTA is committed to evolve cultured traffic environment through professionalized traffic enforcers and disciplined street users with the active support of the division. To achieve this, we have to discipline the drivers and train enforcers to be professional.
Michael Turner: Talking about professionalizing the traffic enforcers, what have you done so far?
General Amoguis: We conducted an aptitude test to find out the extent of the knowledge, skills, and abilities of our enforcers. It turned out that only 51% passed. It is quite alarming. So I immediately activated the RTA Training and Education Center, so that we crafted the syllabus for the training of our traffic enforcers. We conducted training last June 16 up to July 3; a specialized course on traffic enforcement. Three of the enforcers were not able to cope with the training which has 3 different maps: physical, mental, and spiritual. 37 graduated and these are the ones we see in the streets now. They are highly trained individuals. They are organized by teams. These are the people who will be deployed in the 5 zones organized by us, because we divided the city into 5 zones: eastern, western, southern, northern and central. In each zone, we will be developing a model discipline zone.
Our ultimate objective is to develop discipline zones in every street. To start this, we have to first develop a model discipline zone.
Michael Turner: You mean the ones marked with a yellow line?’
General Amoguis: Not necessarily. Once a street is assigned as a model discipline zone, it will include the whole package: no parking, loading and unloading. And then we incorporated a load-unload and go or pick, drop, and go policy so that we can avoid congestion. Meaning, jeepney drivers will not line up to pick up passengers anymore. This is what you call “alley”. There is a bad effect for this; passengers will be delayed because from the point of origin up to the point of destination, they stop at least 10 times at illegal terminals.
Michael Turner:I have something to point out, though with regard to this alley thing. Near the Gaston Park area, especially for jeepneys going to Balulang and Xavier Heights, this alley system has not been effectively stopped. I think a round-the-clock presence of the RTA is important in areas like this.
General Amoguis: There is actually a specific Area Of Responsibility (AOR) for traffic. The specific AOR is the street only. It is not like the police wherein you can go to any nook during your beat. For traffic, it is only the street, either point or the whole crossing, or the whole expanse.
We are professionalizing because we observed an attitudinal problem with our RTA enforcers. They disappear from the streets and it creates embarrassment not only for the RTA leadership but also for the city leadership. This is what we’re trying to protect because the RTA is the frontline organization of the city government. The street is the show window of the city, therefore, we should have, at least within a 24-hour period, from the early morning up to late in the evening, somebody who will conduct the traffic. In fact, this is included in the program we are currently developing. We will be having night patrol operations. This newly trained team is called the Special Traffic Enforcement Team.
Michael Turner: Are they deployed now?
General Amoguis: Yes.
We have a new strategy now wherein the routes will be marked. The streets these drivers use will also be marked with this is intended for route 1, route 2, and route 3. We will use specific numbering for easy identification. We are also coordinating with the LTFRB that if they violate their route, their vehicle will be impounded.
We had a model driver seminar, a free seminar intended for all drivers, so they will become educated about traffic regulations and policies. We are also imposing on the drivers the philosophy that drivers are the first line enforcers and educators in the streets. That’s why there are drivers who try to discipline their passengers.
There is what we call the “door-to-door delivery syndrome” when we talk about the Cagayan de Oro riding public, which means that if a passenger is not delivered to a specific area, he gets mad and complains.
Michael Turner: What happened to the drivers now? Were they given an examination? Do they know what the traffic rules and regulations are supposed to be?
General Amoguis: We observed that some drivers are still undisciplined. 100 drivers caught in Cagayan de Oro were given a diagnostic examination and only one passed. 99 failed the exam on basic traffic rules which they are supposed to be familiar with.
Michael Turner: You mean the LTO issues license to these people even if they do not know basic traffic rules and regulations?
General Amoguis:They were given, yes. But some of them got their license from other provinces. We are very stringent in our efforts to catch drivers with warrants. But there are those who have already been served warrants and cannot apply for license here, since we have a very strict LTO, who go to other LTO agencies.
The 99% who failed the diagnostic exam are the identifiable ones who park anywhere or alley, and who do not know how to respect traffic directions.’
Michael Turner: What happened to the 99 who failed the diagnostic exam?
General Amoguis: That is our subject now in our indoctrination.
That’s why we crafted the free model driver seminar. They have to take the seminar. All transport organizations in the city are required to have their drivers attend the seminar. In addition to that, we have a seminar for the owners because we need to have their vehicles properly maintained so that it won’t cause problems while in the road; so that we will not have traffic congestion because of one jeepney’s problem.
Michael Turner: How do you re-assess or re-evaluate these drivers?
General Amoguis: After conducting the model driver seminar to some transport owners and drivers, we noticed that traffic was slightly reduced. And so, we had to suspend the momentum by training our enforcers, so that those who did not attend our program will be able to employ the full force of the ordinance. So the enforcers are now trained to strictly carry out the ordinance. The instruction to them is: do not conduct traffic direction; your role is to apprehend. It is now the time of reckoning.
Michael Turner: What happens to those who have 3 or more accumulated violations?
General Amoguis:Actually, we always file cases in court. We have 7,000 drivers who were filed in court and have pending warrants. Some of these drivers are no longer in Cagayan de Oro. Some are still driving and they are the subject of our manhunt. That’s why when we accost a driver; we refer it immediately to our warrant record.
Michael Turner: What happens to those who have 3 or more accumulated violations?
General Amoguis: Actually, we always file cases in court. We have 7,000 drivers who were filed in court and have pending warrants. Some of these drivers are no longer in Cagayan de Oro. Some are still driving and they are the subject of our manhunt. That’s why when we accost a driver; we refer it immediately to our warrant record.
Michael Turner: Do you have an agreement with LTO that they should not issue license to these people who have warrants of arrest?
General Amoguis: Recently, the LTO, including the LTFRB, had a memorandum of agreement with the mayor. It was signed last May. That agreement includes our joint operations and the list of drivers who have been issued warrants.
Unfortunately, there are some drivers whom we’ve caught, who changed their names. For example, Rolando becomes Orlando. This is a serious violation so we have to file another case against them.
Michael Turner: What is the LTO doing about this?
General Amoguis:Actually, this may not be deemed as the LTO’s fault since the drivers were able to show evidences purporting to their names, like they may have changed their residence certificate or birth certificate.
That’s why in our model driver seminar, we always point out to the drivers the fact that they are professionals. So they have no reason to be undisciplined because they are professionals.
Now with regard to uniform, we will no longer tolerate short pants, sando, and slippers. I also gave out an order to remove all wirings inside jeepneys so that there will be no more loud music. This is actually an old ordinance already, “no sound system inside the jeepney”. But we already commissioned people to undertake this job, in addition to the RTA, like in Bugo. Under the leadership of Barangay Captain Potane, Bugo is now very active in disciplining the drivers, especially those who have very loud sounds inside the jeepney.
Another way of disciplining the driver is by asking his passengers to transfer to another jeepney when he is accosted. After the passengers transfer, that is when we begin the lecture. To avoid congestion while this is going on, our deployment of teams is organized in accordance to what we perceive to be the exact number in every team. Every team has 8 people but only around 3 of them will accost the driver. In some cases, we send them referral slips. So if the driver is caught, he is immediately sent to the RTA education center.
For now, we’re toying with the idea of basing the number of RTA enforcers needed with the number of population. So we’ll need around 300 to 500 RTAs. We only have 200 right now and some are doing administrative and engineering work in the office. They are divided into different shifts. Only 5 teams are for traffic enforcement.
Michael Turner: For how many minutes is a driver allowed to stay in an area to pick up or unload passengers?
General Amoguis: Once a passenger goes up the jeepney, the driver must go. If he unloads and nobody rides, he must go immediately after unloading. It is more a judgment of the RTA and the driver. It is our objective that in the future, drivers will be disciplined enough to properly judge on their own without the aid of the RTA.
Michael Turner: What about the element of fear? Sometimes the element of fear is more practical.
General Amoguis:As soon as we have additional enforcers, we will deploy more RTA in highly strategic points; in critical streets like Vamenta, Recto: from Velez to Megacenter; Borja: from Capistrano to Quirino; Osmeña: from C.M. Recto to Cogon Market, Abejuela, and Gaerlan. There are 10 selected model discipline zones to be addressed by 5 teams. The presence of RTA enforcers will develop fear among the drivers.
We have also taught our enforcers to practice value formation. We have trained them against accepting kotong, or bribe money. In fact, some enforcers have already reported about drivers offering bribe money.
Michael Turner: What do you have to say about the controversial issue of the RTA enforcing sidewalk regulations?
General Amoguis: That’s one of the concerns we will address. We have people who are now undergoing the Traffic Control Safety Course. These are the people who will direct the traffic to compliment our enforcers. After this, we will have the Pedestrian Control Course. This already includes the ambulant vendors.
Michael Turner: These vendors usually ply their trades in the sidewalks. How do you prevent controversies like the complaints of ambulant vendors that there were high-handed tactics employed by the RTA?
General Amoguis: You know, there are always complaints. We investigate any of these complaints. We have, however, created a task force called Task Force Scraper whose main task is to clean the streets from illegal vendors. These illegal vendors do not pay taxes.
Task Force Scraper is composed of RTA enforcers. There are also civilians who are authorized to join the task force in order to help carry out their mission. These are volunteers who are also RTA applicants. We follow an apprenticeship process for anybody who want to join the RTA. These people are not paid.
We follow a stringent monitoring. These volunteers are only to help and assist the RTA enforcers. We also observe rules of engagement in implementing this activity. This includes observance of the rule of law, observance of human rights, issuing of tickets or receipts for all confiscated items. Every item must be deposited immediately.
There was a time when one of the fairly new volunteers was caught stealing a pair of shoes. We immediately returned the stolen item to the owner and reprimanded the volunteer. We did not allow him to join us anymore. After that, so far, there have been no other reports of similar incidences.
Before we operate, we survey which areas are proliferated by vendors. And then we give a lecture on the doctrine of regularity, which is basically about knowing what is right and what is wrong.
Michael Turner:Are you going to add to the number of your enforcers? It seems that your number is not enough to come up with an effective traffic management scheme.
General Amoguis:That’s true. Our number is really not adequate enough. Our city only has 8 traffic lights. We have 38 critical crossings in the city versus 8 traffic lights. So our people are dedicated to performing the functions of traffic lights. So it really is not enough in terms of manpower.
We are encouraging applicants to undergo the transitory program of volunteering to be acquainted with the job. I have a pending job order for 50 additional RTA enforcers.
We are professionalizing our enforcers by having a qualifications standard, by letting them pass the Civil Service Eligibility, and by passing the standard requirements of an enforcer like psychological preparedness. Since we are uniformed, it will encourage more enforcers if they are ranked.
I already met with Congressman Rufus Rodriguez and he asked me to prepare a bill on traffic enforcement, which I passed earlier this month (July).
For RTA enforcers, the age requirement is from 21 to 65. A baccalaureate degree is preferred though we also accept college undergraduates. In the past, we had elementary graduates. But now we only accept high school graduates.
Michael Turner:What happened to the 49 enforcers who did not pass your exam?
General Amoguis: We did not only focus on the aptitude test. We also focused on the interviews to find out their psychological well-being.
We look at the RTA as a public safety bureau which functions in pretty much the same way as the Bureau of Fire and other safety bureaus in uniform. So the salary of RTA enforcers should be equal with them also. This will help boost the morale of our enforcers.
People look at RTA enforcers as “buwaya”, that’s why drivers often bribe them. Our aim is to bring this down to the level of the lizard, which is definitely a harmless creature.