PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. has prohibited government officials and personnel from using sirens, blinkers and other similar signaling or flashing devices, unless in cases of emergencies, to prevent traffic disruptions and unsafe traffic situations.
The President also ordered a regulation on the issuance and use of protocol license plates to government officials amid increasing complaints about their proliferation and unauthorized use.
Malacanang released yesterday the issuances containing Marcos’ directives, a day after he led a town hall meeting on traffic.
She said the ban should be on a “case-to-case basis,” especially when a government official is in an emergency and if the government has visitors.
She said the order should be “fine-tuned” to meet the needs of those who really need to use sirens or blinkers on the road.
Administrative Order No. 18, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin last March 25, states that “all government officials and personnel are hereby prohibited from utilizing sirens, blinkers and other similar gadgets that produce exceptionally loud or startling sound, including dome lights, blinkers, or other similar signaling or flashing devices.”
It added that the unauthorized and improper use of signaling or flashing devices by government officials and employees shall be dealt with in accordance with applicable laws, rules and regulations.
Exempted from the directive are the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the PNP, fire trucks, hospital ambulances and other emergency vehicles.
“In this light, all government officials and personnel are hereby reminded that (the) use of sirens, dome lights, blinkers and other similar devices shall only be under exigent or emergency circumstances or situations or to ensure the expedient and safe passage of emergency responders,” the AO said.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr), along with other government agencies, has been directed to review, regulate, evaluate and update existing policies and guidelines to ensure the effective implementation of the AO 18, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations.
The prohibition on the use of sirens and blinkers was one of the first policies implemented by the late President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III, who, during his inaugural speech in 2010, announced “walang wang-wang, walang counterflow, walang tong,” as he recognized the agony of those caught in traffic whenever ranking government officials or VIPs (very important persons), accompanied by their escorts and using sirens and blinkers, stop traffic to let them pass.
LICENSE PLATES
Executive Order (EO) No. 56, also signed by Bersamin last March 25, amends EO No. 400 (s. 2005) and authorizes the assignment and issuance of low-numbered protocol license plates to vehicles being used by government officials.
The EO cut down the low-numbered plates to 14 and removed protocol license plate numbers 12, 13 and 16 that were previously issued to cabinet undersecretaries, solicitor general, and regional trial court judges, respectively. The solicitor general has been assigned the license plate number 10.
The issuance also states that protocol license plates shall be as follows: President No. one; Vice President, two; Senate President, three; Speaker, four; Chief Justice, five; Cabinet Secretaries, six; Senators, seven; and Members of the House of Representatives, eight; and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, nine.
It also assigned 10 to the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeals (CA), Court of Tax Appeals (CTA), and Sandiganbayan, along with the solicitor general; 11 to the chairperson of Constitutional Commission and Ombudsman; and 14 to the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces and PNP chief.
The use of protocol license plates by authorized officials is upon the recommendation of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), approval of the Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), and based on the list of all officials with equivalent ranks.
The EO also said that while Associate Justices of the CA, CTA and Sandiganbayan are allowed to use protocol license plates upon the LTO’s recommendation and transportation secretary’s approval, “this shall not be construed to authorize all other officials with equivalent rank as the Associate Justices of the CA, CTA and Sandiganbayan and below to use protocol license plates.”
EO 56 also said that the protocol license plates issued to authorized officials shall only be valid during their incumbency and shall only be used for motor vehicles duly registered in their name or officially assigned to them.
It added that the plate numbers shall be surrendered to the LTO upon their retirement, resignation, separation from office, or end of tour of duty.
The EO also said that authorized officials shall only be allowed a maximum of two pairs of protocol license plates while the President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court may be allowed a maximum of three pairs.
The assignment and transfer of protocol license plates to unauthorized persons or motor vehicles is strictly prohibited and once violated shall be subjected to revocation of the granted authority, confiscation of issued protocol license plates, imposed with appropriate penalty, including administrative sanction, pursuant to existing laws, rules and regulations.
“All previously-issued protocol license plates issued pursuant to EO No. 400, as amended, except those issued to incumbent authorized officials under Section 1 hereof, are deemed expired,” it added.
The DOTr has been directed to develop and maintain a registry of protocol license plates issued to all authorized government officials or motor vehicles.
The DOTr and LTO shall oversee the implementation of the guidelines on the protocol license plates.
SENATORS AGREE
Senate majority leader Joel Villanueva said he “definitely agrees” with the President’s order, saying: “It is our responsibility to set an example to our constituents, especially when it comes to dealing with traffic.”
“Let us not add to the burden of our countrymen who have to endure traffic jams in different parts of the country,” Villanueva said in a Viber message to the media.
He said “it is about time” that the sale of sirens, blinkers, dome lights, and other similar devices for official use by the AFP, PNP, National Bureau of Investigation, fire department and its volunteers, and ambulances, is stopped.
Sen. Grace Poe said the President’s order is laudable since government officials must be at par with civilians on the streets.
“Government officials must lead the way in shunning abuse and the display of self-entitlement on the road. If government officials have sirens, how can they feel the sacrifices of our countrymen during traffic jams? This simple rule on wang-wang (siren) ban should be enforced fairly and universally on the road,” Poe said.
Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito said he supports the President’s directive since the use of sirens has been abused by government officials.
“It seems that the use of sirens, blinkers, HPG (Highway Patrol Group) escorts in a convoy has become a trend for government officials these days. The feeling of entitlement,” Ejercito said.
He said the ban on the use of sirens and blinkers in vehicles, other than those that are authorized under the law, was done during the time of former President Benigno Aquino and sees no reason why it cannot be implemented now.
Ejercito said he has never used sirens, blinkers, or motorcycle escorts to exempt himself from traffic jams, saying it is “nakakahiya” (shameful). In fact, he added, he rides a bicycle on his way to the Senate.
Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, in a phone interview with the Senate media, said every government official should follow the ban on the use of sirens and blinkers.
He said government officials on their way to work or appointments should leave their houses early to give themselves enough time to reach their destinations on time.
Sen. Marcos, however, said the ban should not be “outright.”
“For me, the outright ban is not truthful because we all know that there are occasions, like when the President passes, or if the President or if the government has visitors, like heads of state, we cannot allow them to be stuck on traffic jams,” Sen. Marcos said in a Zoom interview with the Senate media. — With Raymond Africa
