Traffic enforcers to get P150T worth of insurance

CEBU, Philippines - Nearly 300 traffic enforcers in Cebu City can now avail of an insurance that will cover them during accidents.

Two life insurance firms, in partnership with a civic-oriented organization, offered the project to the Cebu City Transportation Office, to secure and protect the city’s traffic personnel against loss and other financial burden.

“We considered [CCTO] as very important public officers within Cebu City considering the risk that these people will be exposed to. We are also considering the sacrifices and the efforts of these enforcers,” said Dr. Jose Boy Unabia, president of the Rotary Club of Cebu Port Center.

The insurance of P50,000 for accidental death and disablement will be covered by Pioneer Life Inc. and can be availed by at least 275 field enforcers. Another P100,000 worth of insurance will follow, through Cebu Insurers Club, Inc. (CICI), that can benefit all the CCTO personnel, including those who are office-based.

On what pushed them to initiate such endeavor, Unabia recounted a previous incident when a traffic enforcer died after he was hit by a car.

“We learned the last time on our experience with that enforcer. He did not receive anything (after he died.) That was the root of the idea that we really feel sorry for the traffic enforcer,” he said.

Bienvenido Falcon, Jr., a member of RCCPC, said that CICI’s insurance would have been finalized already but the firm still has to bid out the procedure.

“But I see the need or urgency for these traffic enfor-cers to be protected so gi-unhan na lang namo… Nag-advance mi og P50,000 for an advance coverage specially for the field enforcers tungod kay naa baya tay International Eucharistic Congress karon. I wanted this early for them to be covered already,” he added.

The return stubs, which CCTO personnel will have to fill out with the necessary information, must be submitted to the Pioneer Life Inc. - Head Office on or before April 30 for the coverage to take effect. It must be returned to the insurance office to activate the initial insurance bond amounting to P50,000.

“This will cover 24 hours and worldwide. Anywhere they are, on duty or off duty, they are covered by this,” said Falcon.

Coverage for one year is effective on the date the return stub is received by the head office.

Unabia said the initiative may or may not be extended, depending on the incoming leader of the organization. Unabia will end his term this June.

“Rest assured, I would like to convince our incoming president to continue this kind of endeavor. It all depends on the next president (if this will be renewed) but actually this is a legacy of our club and I hope that the incoming president will adopt this kind of endeavor,” said Unabia.

This also applies to the Cebu Insurance Club, Inc., said Falcon.

CCTO Operations Division head Jonathan Tumulak expressed his gratitude to the move of private groups and firms in recognizing the efforts of his personnel.

“In behalf of the Cebu City Transportation Office, dako namong pasalamat nga adunay mga tawo nga nagtan-aw sa atong mga CCTO personnel. Dako namong pasalamat, especially karong panahona nga bag-o lang nahuman ang Sinulog and then coming ang IEC, dili namo ikalimod nga walay enforcers nga dili haggard og nawng karon tungod sa ka-stress,” he said. — (FREEMAN)