Tomas vetoes ordinance creating new traffic code

CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has vetoed the ordinance creating a Consolidated Traffic Code for Cebu City (City Ordinance No. 2497).

In a two-page letter sent to the Cebu City Council, Osmeña said that the ordinance, which was authored by Councilor Joel Garganera, raised five issues on its enactment.

It included the problem on “alphabetizing” the terms, propagating confusion towards the existing Traffic Code of Cebu City (City Ordinance No. 801), being redundant, and “prejudicial to public welfare.”

According to Garganera’s proposal, the Consolidated Traffic Code was created in order to minimize, if not stop, the confusion in the legislative in enacting traffic-related laws by integrating all of them into one ordinance.

But in doing so, Ordinance No. 801 must be repealed.

The Cebu City government has enacted at least 61 ordinances pertaining to traffic. These include the creation of the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) through Ordinance No. 2239, and imposing heftier penalties on traffic violators (Ordinance No. 2207).

The Consolidated Traffic Code was approved during the council’s regular session last June 26, with eight members (Councilors Dave Tumulak, Eugenio Gabuya Jr., Raymond Alvin Garcia, Jose Daluz III, Jun Alcover, Renato Osmeña Jr., Eduardo Rama Jr., and Garganera) in favor of its passage.

Councilors Sisinio Andales, Margarita Osmeña, and Jocelyn Pesquera voted against it while Councilors Joy Augustus Young, Alvin Arcilla, and Jerry Guardo decided to abstain.

Sought for his comments, Garganera said leaving Ordinance No. 801, and its subsequent 60 ordinances unconsolidated is the root of confusion on enacting laws on traffic in the legislative.

“I don’t claim that the Consolidated Traffic Code will solve our traffic problems, but as a legislator, I’m simply doing my duty to ensure that our traffic laws are easily accessed and understood if we want our constituents to do their part in obeying our traffic laws,” Garganera explained.