Traffic emergency powers by Christmas

Bumper to bumper traffic along Escario Street, Cebu City is considered to be “normal” in this part of the city, particularly during early morning or afternoon rush hours.
(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to receive from Congress emergency powers to solve the traffic crisis across Metro Manila and other highly urbanized areas like Metro Cebu by Christmas this year or before 2016 ends.

The demand to address the worsening traffic condition in Metro Cebu came amid a recent report from the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) which showed that production losses in Metro Cebu due to its traffic problem has been estimated to be around P145 million a day, not counting its physiological and psychological impact to motorists, passengers and pedestrians, according to Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino.

“Cebu and the Cebuanos are desperate to solve the traffic problem. Desperate circumstances like this entails desperate moves. We are one in saying that the one and only desperate move to solve traffic congestion is the emergency powers of the president,” said Dino.

Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento, chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, said their timetable is to grant the President the emergency powers by mid-December this year.

In the meantime, he said, local government units should be stricter in enforcing their respective traffic ordinances, and the public should be more disciplined in obeying traffic laws.

“Kailangan ’to (emergency powers). Kailangan na nating gawin ’yan. Pag may pagkakataon, ’wag na nating i-defer (We need to do this. When we get the chance, we should not defer). We do it now,” he told reporters during a public consultation on the proposed emergency powers to be granted to President Duterte at the Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, on Saturday.

Scope of power

With emergency powers, the President and all heads of departments and agencies under the executive branch involved in transportation and traffic management will be able to use all needed government resources, exercise police power and employ measures to ensure the effective implementation and harmonization of national and local projects intended to address traffic congestion.

These measures will be unhampered by existing laws, agreements, regulations, court orders and procedures that may cause delays in addressing the crisis.

The congressional committee was in Cebu this week to determine the scope of the traffic problem here, including air and sea travel, and come up with solutions fit for the needs of the metropolitan.

It found that there was no traffic crisis in Cebu’s ports and airports but only in the roads supporting them.

Among the solutions proposed by the body to address Metro Cebu’s traffic crisis is route rationalization, which involves crafting a traffic management plan complete with data on the movement of people and goods.

“Sadly, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has not implemented this project in Metro Manila, much less in Metro Cebu,” said Sarmiento.

All kinds

Sarmiento said that at present, Cebu has every kind of vehicle on its roads — from trucks to bicycles. He said this project, which is estimated to cost around P20 million

but will still depend on specifications from the DOTr, will help locate and project demand for vehicles.

“We can provide the type and number of vehicles that will service such demand,” he added.

The solon also said they are studying the possible establishment of a coordinating body composed of national transport officials and Cebu mayors that will be tasked to manage the present and future traffic situation in Metro Cebu.

Starting Monday, the transport committee will hold two weeklong series of daily consultations with its Technical Working Group (TWG) for more focused discussions in Manila.

Congress will go on recess on Oct. 22 and will resume its session on Nov. 7. By then, Sarmiento said they can already have the bill taken up by the “mother committee” and

have it referred for appropriations.

Sarmiento said it will then be presented to the plenary for debate.

Cebu traffic master plan

Dino, for his part, also proposed the creation of a traffic master plan for Cebu which will “serve as the Cebuanos’ blueprint of bringing Cebu’s traffic situation into greater heights.”

“But this proposal which, according to experts, will cost P170 million, was not included in the 2016 annual budget,” he said.

Sought for comment on Dino’s proposal, Sarmiento said they will also be asking the House Speaker for assistance in allocating funds for this project.

Aside from the estimated P145-million daily production loss due to the traffic, Cebu Daily News also reported last February that at least P132 million worth of man-hours is

wasted and economic opportunities lost in one day in Metro Cebu because of traffic congestion.

Once emergency powers are granted to President Duterte, Dino said it would be wise to take advantage of it. Dino proposed that Cebu should adopt a Light Railway Transit (LRT) system with a combination of elevated and subway components.

“This will not only bring people from south to north of Cebu and vice versa, but will also bring local and foreign tourists to (the) Mactan (Cebu International) Airport, which entails the construction of a separate bridge for this purpose,” he said.

Cebu LRT?

Dino revealed that he is also in talks with Singaporean and Chinese groups who are currently exploring the possibility of installing an LRT system here. He said they are expected to conclude their study by December this year.

“From then, they would need nine to 12 months for detailed engineering. They said they can finish the project in two to three years,” he added.

Asked about this proposal, Sarmiento said this would probably come in sometime in the future. What they are focused on doing now, he said, is finding solutions that can be done immediately.

Among the representatives present during the public hearing were Cebu City Reps. Raul del Mar (north district), Rodrigo “Bebot” Abellanosa (south district), Cebu Reps. Gerald Anthony Gullas (first district), Wilfredo Caminero (second district), Gwendolyn Garcia (third district), Benhur Salimbangon (fifth district), Jonas Cortes (sixth district) and Aileen Radaza (Lapu-Lapu City, lone district).

Also present were committee vice chairman and Samar first district Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento, Negros Oriental third district Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. and PBA party-list Rep. Mark Aeron Sambar.

The consultation was also attended by business leaders, representatives of transport groups and local chief executives in Cebu. –

Victor Anthony V. Silva