We hope that the ongoing clearing operations of sidewalks as part of setting up so-called discipline zones will be sustained and even expanded to include all the urban areas in Cebu City.
We say urban areas because that’s where the vendors, vandals, vagrants and vehicle owners with little to zero discipline congregate to make traffic miserable for law-abiding pedestrians, commuters and motorists alike.
The initial targets are portions of Osmeña Boulevard and portions of Barangay Apas — presumably where the business process outsourcing (BPO) firms and the mallgoers are — and even then, it’s not a modest target as far as those who’ve passed through these areas know all too well.
The clearing operations as spearheaded by the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement (Probe) team initially met little to no resistance from the vendors, who may or may not have been caught by surprise.
However, these vendors are counting on the likelihood that they can creep back into the area with little to no notice from the cops, and none of them will be the wiser since the police will also be preoccupied with the war on drugs.
City Hall personnel are said to be meeting with the vendors to explain the city government’s rationale behind the discipline zones which will prove crucial once the annual Sinulog observance comes around.
With so many fly-by-night operators setting up shop on the sidewalks especially with the Sinulog Grand Parade on the third Sunday of next month, we hope that the city government makes it a little less noisy and crowded this month and the next for both city residents and visitors.
While we understand the need for these vendors to earn a livelihood especially during the Sinulog, public interest and welfare remain paramount, and we hope those in charge will find a suitable resolution to this perennial problem.
It would be unrealistic to expect the police and everyone tasked to keep the peace and order in the runup to the annual Sinulog festival to keep off the vendors, vagrants and vandals away from the sidewalks and/or areas included in the discipline zones, more so if we see the usual sights of drunken revelers in the streets.
It’s not just them who are considered public eyesores. The police and City Hall task force personnel will also have to keep an eye on motorists who park their vehicles anywhere, taking up precious road space especially during the holiday season. Rather than let their vehicles get clamped and towed, it’s best for these motorists to park someplace else.
As city residents and visitors, we can also do our share and dispose of our garbage in designated garbage containers. We can choose to be part of the solution and not be part of the problem in imposing discipline and order in the streets.
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