Remove pay parking; tow vehicles

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has ordered the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management to remove pay parking areas in the city that are causing traffic congestion, especially during the holiday season.

“All pay parkings that are causing traffic must be removed,” Rama instruc-ted the new CITOM Executive Director Victor Caindec yesterday in front of the press.

According to Rama, safety of the public must be prioritized.

“This is not about money being earned in the parking. This is about order, security and public safety on the road,” Rama said.

He also told Caindec that there should be CITOM personnel in all choke points in the city and intersections without traffic lights.

“Do a paradigm shift. Why will there be people (more personnel) in the morning if the traffic is in the afternoon? Then in the evening if there are more people there should be more personnel,” he said.

Rama has also ordered CITOM to strictly implement the towing ordinance of the city.

“Tow them and remove them. There are no ‘ifs and buts’ when people are illegally parking. Sidewalk being parked, tow them,” he said.

In 2011, the towing operation of the city was suspended due to the number of complaints from motorists on the high fees charged.

For owners of towed four-wheel vehicles, a fine  of  P2,500  should  be paid  while  a  fine  of  P1,500 is set for motorcycle owners.

Further, he also said that wakes for the dead should not be made on the street as it also adds up to the traffic congestion.

He said wakes should be transferred to areas where they cannot block the flow of traffic.

“There are no ifs, no buts. Let all those tents be out and probably transferred somewhere,” he said further.

For his part, Caindec agrees with the orders of Rama and is also calling out to drivers to heed with the CITOM’s rules.

“For example sa W. Geonzon Street and Salinas Drive today (yesterday), kanang tibuok stretch ana yellow line, atong gipamutangan og No left turn ug No U-turn, mopugos gihapon sila og U-turn bisan sa kadaghan sa mga tawo nga ilang nahasol,” he said.

Starting last December 18, traffic lights in 23 major intersections in the city would not be functioning during busy hours as part of the experiment of CITOM to improve synchronization.

CITOM Operations Chief Jonathan Tumulak said traffic lights would be “flashing” from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

“Ang atoa ani is manual ang pag-control sa traffic, mag-base ta sa mga enforcers nga nag-man sa intersections,” he said earlier.

Meanwhile, Caindec urges the public to report to them the CITOM personnel who are seen not doing their jobs well.

“Picture ninyo ibutang ninyo sa Facebook account sa Citom ug mahimo ibutang ang pangalan aron maimbistiga-han og tarong,” he said.

Caindec said though that the public should also understand their job.

“Maybe nagpahuway lang siya kay it’s not easy, baho, aso, init, uwan, daghan na baya ta enfor-cers nga nadisgrasya,” he said. —Mechelle P. Florita/ATO (FREEMAN)