Several motorists were apprehended for counterflowing while along Osmeña Boulevard, Cebu City last year. | Delta Dyrecka Letigio
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) impounded at least 8, 000 vehicles whose drivers were caught violating the city’s anti-counterflow policy in 2018.
Francisco Ouano, CCTO head, said that the most number of violators were apprehended on February 2018, during the first month of its implementation.
Ouano told Cebu Daily News Digital in a telephone interview this morning, February 2, that they plan to further strengthen implementation of the anti-counterflow regulation this year especially along major thoroughfares in Cebu City.
But they will also be conducting information drives to raise awareness among the motorists on the prohibition and the dangers that may result from the habit of counterflowing on busy city streets.
CCTO enforcers will also be deployed on congested roads on three shifts daily, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 6 p.m., to ensure compliance with Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s Executive Order No. 34 which prohibits motorists from counterflowing. Violators of the mayor’s EO will have to surrender their vehicles to CCTO for impounding for a period of 30 days.
Ouano said they do not impose fines on the violators because the intention of E.O. No. 34 is to instil discipline among the motorists and not to earn revenues from their violations.
“We do not need your money, we need your discipline,” said Ouano quoting Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s earlier pronouncement against the collection of fines.
Quoting CCTO data, Ouano said that most violators of E.O. No. 34 were motorcycle drivers caught counterflowing while along M.J. Cuenco Avenue, Osmeña Boulevard, Escario Street, and General Maxilom Avenue in Cebu City.
Motorists, Ouano said, would resort to counterflowing to avoid heavy congestion on roads that they are traversing especially during the rush hours.
He said that while motorists are after their convenience, they disregard their safety and that of the other motorists who occupy the opposite lane.
“Daku kaayo na siya ug epekto tungod kay pwede nga ikaw ang madisgrasya or pwede sad madisgrasya ang uban. Naa baya gyoy mga incidents nga mangamatay sa bangga,” said Ouano.
But Ouano is hopeful that the continued implementation of the city’s anti-counterflow E.O. will eventually teach motorists the discipline and road courtesy that they needed to learn.
While he still does not have consolidated data on apprehensions made for January 2019, Ouano said he could safely say that the number of violators have already decreased.
Ouano said that a continuous decrease in violations is an indication that the city government’s campaign to have safer streets is getting the support of the Cebuanos./dcb