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Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Background of the Study

City traffic enforcers are organized to enforce our law in traffic and help

the city to lessen the burden in line with traffic congestions. Their duty is not easy

when it comes to enforcing the traffic law due to heat of the sun and sometimes

bad weather. They also encounter drivers who are unregistered or what we

usually called colorum which are mostly involved in vehicular accidents.

The problems of a police traffic officer are not something new that started

with the coming of the automobile. It began back in grandpa’s time when roads

were narrow and difficult of passage for just the horse and buggy. In 1895, there

were 300 automobiles, mostly imported, in operation in the United States. But in

the next 50 years the situation changed. 85 million motor vehicles were produced

in this country alone during those 50 years. The problems of the traffic officer

skyrocketed and his job took on added significance as the auto population grew

and grew. It was realized that only through specialized training of traffic officials

could the problem ever be handled and solved. Registrations just before World

War II exceeded 33 million vehicles and by 1965 this figure increased to almost

92 million vehicles with over 98 million licensed drivers. The total traffic problem

of today, measured by almost any means, continues to rise at an alarming rate

(Miller, 2007).

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is pushing for

the grant of hazard pay to its traffic enforcers. In a statement on Saturday, the
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agency said Chairman Danilo Lim told around 300 traffic enforcers during their

assembly last Friday that he will write a letter to President Rodrigo Duterte to ask

for the granting of the hazard pay, in recognition of their efforts in managing

traffic along Edsa. “I understand your plight in manning your posts and we have

been pushing for the granting of your hazard pay considering the risks you

encounter daily. We shall write a letter to the president to revive the granting of

hazard pay. Let’s hope that we will be given the chance,” Lim told the traffic

enforcers. The MMDA chief made the statement as a recent study by the

National Institute for Health-University of the Philippines showed that traffic

enforcers on EDSA face health risks which include high blood pressure and

respiratory problems due to exposure to black carbon and heavy metals.

According to the study, lead was also found in the enforcers’ blood which could

signify systemic inflammation. Female enforcers and non-smokers were found to

be more susceptible to this, (Yujuico, 2019).

Locally in General Santos City, the city government is set to launch next

week a massive crackdown against unregistered or “colorum” public utility

vehicles (PUVs) as it vowed to strengthen the implementation of public

transportation and traffic regulations in the area. Glenvil Gonzales, assistant city

administrator, said, they will deploy enforcement teams starting Feb. 16 in

various key points of the city to properly monitor the movements of private or

“green-plated” vehicles that have been plying the regular PUV routes. He said

the crackdown will focus on the “colorum” tricycles, jeepneys, multicabs,

passenger vans and even single motorcycles, which are locally known as “habal-
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habal.” City officials earlier estimated that around 8,000 tricycles have been

operating on a daily basis in various routes in the area (Boada, 2009)

The main objective of this study was to determine the significant

relationship between the problems encountered by city traffic enforcers against

colorum vehicle and authority response in General Santos City, and how to

resolve this problem and to ensure the safety of riding public and to identify those

opportunist individual who are using colorum PUVS only for their own good.

Many passenger are complaining of colorum vehicles so it is advisable to resolve

this problem immediately and for the good or better transportation in general

Santos city.

Statement of the Problem

The main concern of this study was to determine whether there is a

significant relationship between problems encountered by city traffic enforcers in

implementation against colorum vehicles and authority`s response at General

Santos City for the year 2018.

Specifically, this study aimed to provide answers to the following questions:

1. What is the problem encountered by city traffic enforcers in

implementation against colorum vehicles?

2. What is the level of the response of the authorities?

3. Is there a relationship between the problems encountered by the city

traffic enforcers in implementation against colorum vehicles and

authority`s response?
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Hypothesis

There is no significant relationship between problems encountered by city

traffic enforcers in implementation against colorum vehicles and authority`s

response in General Santos City.

Conceptual Framework of the Study

The conceptual framework presents the two variables involved in this

study. Objectively, the problems encountered by city traffic enforcers in

implementation against colorum vehicle is the independent variable and the

dependent variable is the authority`s response. Figure 1 shows the conceptual

framework of the study.

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Problems encountered by
traffic enforcer in Authority response
implementation against
colorum vehicles

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of the Study

Significant of the Study

City Traffic Enforcers. This study may significant in helping traffic

enforcers in lessening the burden of their work in facing colorum vehicles.

DOTC. This study may help the department of transportation and

communication to solve the problems encountered by the city traffic enforcers.

Gensan Government. This study may give an idea to the local

government of Gensan to support the DOTC in conducting more programs for

the efficiency of the city traffic enforcers.

Future researchers. This study may guide them on how to

understand and have a better research.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study was limited only in determining the problems encountered by

city traffic enforcers in implementation against colorum vehicles and authority`s

response at General Santos City. This study did not include the personal

problems encountered by city traffic enforcers.

Definition of Terms

In order for this study be more comprehensive, the following terms were

defined conceptually and operationally or as to how they are used in this study.

Problem encountered by City Traffic Enforcers in implementation

against colorum vehicle the problem about colorum vehicle is getting worse,

also the LTFRB chairman also stressed that colorum vehicles are not simply
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.about private vehicle taking in passenger for a fee. And there is a lot of colorum

vehicle running including in General Santos City.

Authority`s Response The Government is carefully planning out how to

address the issues in public transportation especially with regard to colorum

vehicles. LTFRB Implementing an increase penalty who caught drives who have

unregistered vehicles running in the city.