LAOAG CITY — The city government of Laoag has deputized 225 village officials and 24 city employees as community-based enforcers of the city's traffic and environment codes.
According to Philippines News Agency, the deputized traffic and environment law enforcers will assist in road-clearing operations as mandated by the national government and the Oplan Dalus Code of the city government, which aims to ensure proper waste segregation and management. "These 225 barangay officials and 24 city employees are now deputized enforcers and clothed with the authority and the task to implement these two directives. They will also serve as force multipliers to the concerned law enforcement agencies," Keon said.
City environment and natural resources officer Mylene Isabel Pascual stated that starting this week, the newly deputized law enforcers can issue citation tickets to violators of the city's traffic rules and Oplan Dalus code. "The deputized enforcers underwent training to equip the participants with comprehensive knowledge of environmental and natural resources laws, including the traffic code," she said. Pascual added that their identification cards as deputies are valid for five years, and as part of their incentive, they receive a 50 percent share of the collected revenues from the issuance of citation tickets to violators.
Mayor Keon reminded the deputized personnel to handle traffic fairly, avoid abusing their authority, and refrain from being harsh to violators. "In the implementation of any directive, we should all work as a team because it is only through teamwork that we can achieve success," he said. Manuel Morales, village chief of Barangay 1 San Lorenzo and one of the deputized enforcers, expressed hope that his village would become a model barangay in maintaining peace and order as well as solid waste management in the community.