2-city traffic tie-up pushed

From Philippines
Jump to navigation Jump to search
→ → Go back HOME to Zamboanga: the Portal to the Philippines.
By Princess Dawn H. Felicitas

THE Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) board wants to have a joint traffic cooperation agreement with Mandaue City.

This will be done to address traffic matters that concern both local government units (LGUs).

Citom board recently passed a resolution covering the matter. In the same resolution, the board also authorized Citom executive director Atty. Rafael Yap to initiate discussions with the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (Team).

In an interview yesterday, Yap said the passage of the board resolution was an offshoot of the traffic problem encountered when S. Osmeña Blvd. was widened by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

That time, heavy traffic was experienced by the two cities after Citom implemented re-routing plans at the north reclamation area to pave the way for the project.

“It is a realization that we should be helping each other. What happens in Mandaue City will have an effect on Cebu City and what happens in Cebu City will have an effect on Mandaue City. So we should initiate discussions with our fellow traffic management agencies,” he said.

Yap said that the cooperation agreement will also complement the bill of Rep. Gabriel Luis “Luigi” Quisumbing that seeks to establish a Metro Cebu Traffic Management Authority (MCTMA).

“If that bill becomes a law, we already have taken baby steps. We are already preparing for it. It will already be easy then to establish linkages,” he said.

House Bill 5556 was filed by Quisumbing in Congress last March. The bill seeks to create the MCTMA, define its power and functions, and provide funds for its operation.

The MCTMA will plan and identify traffic problems and coordinate with LGUs in Metro Cebu in making a traffic management master plan.

Offhand, Yap said Citom has already been coordinating and working with Team in preparation for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit meetings next month. A copy of the Citom board resolution was forwarded to the City Council.

During their July 15 regular session, the legislative body referred the matter to the committee on traffic and management for their report and recommendation.