Palliative traffic solutions

Two developments that should hopefully improve Metro Cebu’s traffic flow are being lobbied by local officials both in Congress and at the local level that deserve public support.

It is no small coincidence that these two measures are initiated in Cebu City where perhaps the onus of traffic congestion is most especially experienced by the riding public.

The first is the proposal to legalize and regulate the motorcycle-for-hire transport service Angkas which Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmena lobbied for in Congress and which now has an additional proponent in congressional ally Rep. Raul del Mar of Cebu City’s north district.

But even before Angkas came into the picture, Rep. Red Durano of Cebu’s 5th district lobbied for the regulation of motorcycle-for-hire services also locally known as habal-habal at the local government level.

With a public hearing in Cebu City scheduled sometime this year, maybe the national government can lend an ear to this proposal which may help ease commuter concern on traffic congestion and even result in faster traffic flow should more people decide to ride habal-habal including even tourists wishing to get out of the gridlock now plaguing the country’s metropolitan areas.

The biggest concern obviously is safety so utmost priority should be given to training and orienting the drivers towards professionalizing their operations in order to hold them fully accountable to both their customers and to national and local traffic laws.

Maybe restrictions should be applied on children below 10 years old. What is important is that it is being discussed at the highest levels and that this discussion will lead to concrete policies that will regulate and professionalize habal-habal operations should they be legalized.

Another development and one that should have been addressed long ago is more severe penalties on counter-flowing in traffic which had been long abused by both motorists and public utility vehicles (PUV) drivers alike.

There is zero debate that counter-flowing should be penalized as it causes traffic to be at a standstill especially during rush hours. In fact, counter-flowing most often occurs during rush hours when motorists and PUV drivers try to take short cuts.

With Cebu City Hall using its police powers to bypass the restrictions imposed by transport agencies on the deputization of traffic enforcers, motorists are given due warning not to abuse and resort to counter-flowing to beat the traffic.

With these two developments, we hope that the riding public will be given some relief from the monster traffic jams while government raises the funds to build and improve aging road networks and infrastructure.