The Department of Transportation is really serious about their campaign to rid our roads of unworthy motor vehicles. The problem is that there are not enough of them to go around and apprehend all of these rotten and smoke belching machines.

So the DOTr and I-ACT decided to use technology to help them in their road worthiness crusade. Today, they have juts launched the “Sumbong Bulok Sumbong Usok” (SBSU) Hotline which is aimed at encouraging the public to help in cleaning up our roads of these bad vehicles. The Hotline is accessible at the I-ACT Facebook Messenger and reports will be treated with confidentiality says DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade. 

HPG and I-ACT apprehend unroadworthy Jeepneys as part of their Tanggal Bulok Tanggal Usok campaign.

HPG and I-ACT apprehending non-roadworthy Jeepneys. (photo courtesy of conceptnewscentral.com)
“With the SBSU Chatbot Hotline, around 45 million Facebook users in the Philippines may report vehicles that are no longer road-worthy, as well as smoke belching vehicles, colorum PUVs, illegally-parked vehicles, illegal vendors, among others. The platform will automatically enable netizens to post a photo or a video, and identify the location where the violation was committed through GPS,” says the announcement.

DOTr Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said that the digital hotline is a form of people empowerment, and a way to encourage citizens to actively participate in effecting positive change on public transport.

“This Sumbong Bulok, Sumbong Usok Chatbot hotline is basically citizen empowerment. The success of this platform in helping realize the objectives of our “Tanggal Bulok, Tanggal Usok” operations will serve as a solid proof that if the government, its people, and technology are put into one, nothing is impossible,” Sec. Tugade said.

The transportation chief likewise noted that the SBSU digital platform will push I-ACT member agencies to act on concerns expeditiously, given that a case management system is integrated in the platform’s back end.

“This platform will not only help citizens send their complaints easily. This will also help our case managers and resolvers monitor the status of concerns. Makikita doon ng DOTr kung anong mga lugar ang pinakamaraming reklamo, at sinong mga ahensya ang hindi sumasagot sa reklamo,” Tugade added.

For his part, DOTr Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Tim Orbos said the SBSU hotline shall help expand the enforcement capabilities of I-ACT, especially that most traffic violators and errant drivers come out and ply the streets at night.

“With this hotline, we will be expanding our enforcement of traffic rules and regulations through our law-abiding citizens. Lalawak ang coverage natin dahil ang mga tao mismo ang siyang tutulong sa atin,” Usec. Orbos  said.

Apart from the DOTr, I-ACT member-agencies such as the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Land Transportation Office, and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority will be receiving, processing, and resolving reports and complaints sent to the SBSU Chatbot Hotline.

Currently, I-ACT is implementing the “Tanggal Usok, Tanggal Bulok” campaign in different parts of Metro Manila, as well as nearby provinces such as Pampanga, Bulacan, and Rizal.

The Sumbong Bulok Sumbong Usok chatbot hotline is a project of DOTr, in partnership with Trufidelity Innovations, a private company who has offered to DOTr I-ACT free use of their digital media platform.