Crackdown vs wangwang starting soon
Following President Bongbong Marcos’ (PBBM) directive, the Land Transportation of the Philippines (LTO) vows to hit hard against the unauthorized use of sirens and blinkers. These sirens and blinkers and similar gadgets are known collectively as wangwang here in the country.
“I take this opportunity to appeal to our fellow government workers to voluntarily remove these gadgets in compliance with the directive of our Chief Executive, President Marcos,” said LTO Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II.
Under Administrative Order 18 by PBBM, all government officials and personnel are prohibited from utilizing sirens, blinkers, and other similar gadgets that produce exceptionally loud or startling sounds, including dome lights, blinkers, or other similar signaling or flashing devices.
“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,” the AO read.
Under Section 2, it stated that sirens, blinkers, and other similar devices shall not be used unless in clearly appropriate circumstances, and only by motor vehicles designated for official use by the AFP, NBI, and PNP, and fire trucks, hospital ambulances and other emergency vehicles.
Mendoza added that the LTO is now coordinating with the DOTr and other concerned agencies for the review, evaluation and updating of existing policies and guidelines to ensure the effective implementation of the AO 18.
On the part of private vehicles, Mendoza said they are now coordinating with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law enforcement agencies to apprehend violators.
Mendoza welcomed the issuance of the AO 18, saying the LTO has been receiving complaints even before, especially from netizens, regarding allegations of abuses committed by vehicles with sirens and blinkers.
The AO 18, he said, is a big help in instilling road courtesy and discipline and eventually the safety of all road users.
AO 18 reiterating PD 96
During Martial Law in 1973, then-president Ferdinand Marcos, Sr., issued Presidential Decree 96, which prohibited the attachment or use of sirens, bells, horns, or similar gadgets that emit exceptionally loud or startling sounds, including dome lights, blinkers and other similar signaling or flashing devices on vehicles except on motor vehicles designated for use by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), PNP, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), fire trucks and ambulances.
Over the years, however, a lot of power-tripping politicians, government officials and employees, as well as businessmen and other private individuals thought that they were above the law and began using wangwangs either to intimidate other road users or just to freely commit traffic violations at their convenience.
With PBBM’s new AO 18, law enforcement agencies once again have teeth in upholding the law that was enacted over 50 years ago.
