Cops’ help sought for traffic problem in South

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña wants at least 50 policemen to help man traffic at the city’s south district where horrendous traffic is being experienced with the ongoing construction of an underpass on N. Bacalso Avenue corner F. Llamas Street.

The mayor came up with the idea after noticing that the traffic enforcers assigned at the area are having a hard time managing the situation there.

“Naglisod gyud ang atong mga tawo; they are having a hard time already. Not the matter of they don’t have enough bodies; naa sila’y fatigue factor of working hard,” Osmeña told reporters yesterday.

At least 12 traffic enforcers and tanods in the south are manning traffic in the area.

During the dry run of the new traffic scheme last Saturday, traffic congestion lasted at least 17 hours.

The new traffic scheme, which made the southbound lane of N. Bacalso Avenue exclusive to vehicles heading to north, had to be put in place as the contractor of the underpass begins work on the fourth phase of the project.

Osmeña said that manning traffic is not a function of the city but rather it is the task of the police.

“Now, I’m asking that tabangi sad mi because we have done beyond our situation point. That is a police function, you know. You read the Local Government Code – walay traffic-traffic diha bisan gamay. We are being taken for granted,” he said.

The mayor said that he meet with Cebu City Police Director Royina Garma to discuss the matter.  In a separate interview, Garma said she has already instructed the city police’s traffic group to help in the south.

“Yes, since Saturday, I instructed traffic group to assist Cebu City Traffic Office (CCTO) to manage the traffic,” she said.

Cops will be present at the area from 6 a.m. until 10 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“My instruction is to focus, especially during the morning, from 6-10, and in the afternoon, from 4 to 9. Dun ibuhos para mag-alalay. Ang importante ay intersections para di ma-block ang flow at tuloy-tuloy,” she said.

Cebu City Transportation Office operations chief Francisco Ouano said the mayor informed him of the plan last Sunday.

He said the cops will not only aid traffic enforcers but their presence would actually prevent unruly drivers and petty crimes.

He said the cops will be deployed to “depressed diversion routes” such as E. Sabellano Street, Tagunol Street, Cabreros Street, and Barangay Punta Princesa.

Commuters need to be more patient with situation in the south, as work on the fourth phase of the underpass will run until October. Authorities hope the whole underpass project will be completed come December.

“So far, so bad kay tungod makita nato nga ganihang buntag during peak hours traffic siya, naa’y mga oras nga luag-luag rapud,” Ouano said yesterday after assessing the ‘official’ first day of the new traffic scheme.

With the southbound lane of N. Bacalso Ave. exclusive to those heading north, all southbound vehicles are directed to pass through smaller access roads which include Tagunol Street, Caimito Street, Ganciang Street, and F. Llamas Street, among others.

All northbound and southbound buses, minibuses, and delivery trucks will have to pass the Cebu South Coastal Road (CSCR).  Former mayor Michael Rama could not help but comment on the situation in the south district where he resides. His solution: “Change the mayor.”

He objected to the project when it was first introduced in year 2015 because the diversion routes are dilapidated and roads are not widened.

“Change the mayor. I’m not joking. I am very candid about it. I am telling you, before, I stalled and stopped that project, my first position was very clear – let’s first widen Sabellano Street, widen Tagunol before touching Natalio Bacalso, and they insisted after the 2016 elections,” he said.

Mega Cebu

Meanwhile, Gordon Alan Joseph of the Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board (MCDCB) said the prevailing traffic situation in Cebu has decreased the local government’s competitiveness and is affecting foreign investments.

Joseph chairs MCDCB’s Research, Program and Organizational Development (RPOD).  With the significant role local government units play, Joseph said people have a right to demand for greater performance from officials.

With the next local elections coming up soon, everyone must speak up, and even speak louder, as the situation is getting “terrible.”

“I think it’s time to stop being quiet. We need to speak with one voice and as one community because this (situation) has to stop and if this continues, then the Cebu that we grew to love with, is no longer a… oh in fact, Cebu is no longer a paradise,” he said. (FREEMAN)