MANILA — Senate Committee on Public Services Chairperson Senator Raffy Tulfo has vowed to push for amendments to the Hazard Pay Law to include Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic enforcers and street sweepers, citing their daily exposure to harsh weather and pollutants while on duty.

Tulfo made the commitment during his visit on November 5 to the MMDA Communications and Command Center in Pasig City, where he was welcomed by MMDA Chairperson Romando Artes and Swift Traffic Action Group (STAG) head Edison “Bong” Nebrija.

The senator lauded the command center’s advanced facilities, including large monitors that display real-time CCTV footage from major thoroughfares and live feeds from body-worn cameras (BWC) used by traffic enforcers on the ground.

To demonstrate how the BWCs operate, Nebrija instructed on-duty enforcers via two-way radio to conduct an anti-illegal parking operation in 20th Avenue, Quezon City. Tulfo noted that both video and audio were captured during the operation — an important feature, he said, in ensuring transparency and accountability in apprehensions.

Artes explained that under MMDA’s new system, enforcers issue notices of violation on the ground, which are later reviewed at the command center before digital tickets are generated. These tickets can then be paid through online platforms or accredited payment centers, reducing opportunities for corruption or “kotong.”

“These measures ensure transparency, especially since BWCs automatically start recording once released from their docking stations and cannot be switched off until re-docked,” Tulfo quoted Artes as saying.

Artes also said each BWC unit costs around ₱68,000, or about ₱300,000 when bundled with backend monitoring systems and a two-year SIM card subscription. Tulfo pointed out the significant difference between MMDA’s BWC costs and the Philippine Ports Authority’s (PPA) units, which reportedly cost ₱897,000 each.

During the visit, Tulfo also raised concerns about the employment status of many MMDA personnel, who remain job order (JO) or casual employees despite years of service. He said he would advocate for additional funding in the upcoming Senate budget deliberations to help the agency open more regular positions.

Tulfo also praised the MMDA for employing persons with disabilities (PWDs) from the deaf and mute community to work in its command center, describing it as an inspiring example of inclusive governance.

“Ang mga enforcer at street sweeper ng MMDA ay araw-araw nasa kalsada, nagbibilad sa init, at nalalanghap ng polusyon. Karapat-dapat lang na mabigyan sila ng hazard pay at regular na trabaho,” Tulfo said.