Iloilo City launches first traffic academy for traffic enforcers

The Iloilo City government will pilot a traffic academy for traffic enforcers in the metro to enhance and develop their skills on road safety.

The academy, which will run for the whole month of April at the YMCA Building, is an initiative of the Public Safety and Transportation Management (PSTMO).

According to PSTMO head Jeck Conlu, the initiative is considered the first-of-its-kind among local government units (LGUs) in the country.

“We will professionalize our traffic aides since most of them have no formal or sustainable training, so we have to improve and capacitate them every year,” Conlu said.

The traffic academy will include a course on basic traffic signaling system to improve the skills of traffic personnel on managing road safety. They will also undergo courses on how to handle arguments on the streets.

The traffic academy is a short course program which will include a two-week classroom setting. One week for practical learning application and another week of performance assessment while on-duty.

Conlu said the traffic personnel will also undergo written exam. They can retake the exam if they fail the first round.

“They should know how to perform their duties as well as their basic legal rights and that of the drivers. They will have a refresher course every year,” Conlu added. (DG)