MANILA — Fifty-six Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) personnel will undergo formal training at the University of the Philippines-National Center for Transportation Studies Foundation Inc. (UP-NCTSFI) under a memorandum of agreement between the two institutions.
The course seeks to improve enforcers’ understanding of their role as traffic enforcers and understand the different laws and regulations they will enforce and covers the standard traffic signs and pavement markings – their meaning and when and where to install them.
The course also allows enforcers to direct and control traffic in an intersection as well as administration of traffic citation ticket and investigation, recording and reporting of traffic incidents.
HPG head Chief Supt. Arnel Escobal pointed out that the course would impart fresh skills to this batch of HPG personnel which will make them more effective in managing traffic and in assisting the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
The training course has 10 modules from introduction to traffic management, human-vehicle and flow characteristics, introduction to traffic laws and regulations, signs and pavement markings, direction and control, citation administration, accident investigation and road safety program.
The Duterte administration has vowed to improve the traffic infrastructure in the country under his administration’s ‘golden age of infrastructure’ program.
Studies suggest that the high density of vehicles within the metropolis have made the roads inadequate as Metro Manila only has 1 km of road per 424 vehicles. Much of the roads are of poor quality and do not receive maintenance.
Presently there are 190 HPG personnel deployed in chokepoints along the 23-kilometer EDSA.
One study has suggested that Metro Manila traffic costs PHP2.4 billion per day in 2012 and the cost can rise up to PHP6 billion per day by 2030. (PNA)
