Traffic office heads set traffic management plans when face-to-face classes start

Traffic management office heads of cities of Talisay, Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu met on Friday, July 29, to discuss the traffic preparations for the coming in-person classes. | Photo courtesy of CT-TODA

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The traffic management office heads of the cities of Talisay, Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu have set their traffic management plans for Balik Skwela 2022.

Edwin Jumao-as, executive director of Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue; Paul Gotiong, executive director of Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) ; Lawyer Rico Rey Francis Holganza, CCTO chairperson; Jonathan Tumulak, chief of City of Talisay Traffic Operations Development Authority; and Mario Napule, chief of the City Traffic Management System of Lapu-Lapu City held a meeting on Friday afternoon, July 29.

The meeting aimed to list down crucial measures in traffic management safety, particularly during the opening of face-to-face classes this August 2022.

READ: School year 2022-2023 to start August 22 -DepEd

Clearing of Sidewalks

Tumulak, chief City of Talisay Traffic Operations Development Authority, in an interview, said that they had agreed to implement the clearing of sidewalks located near the schools. They will start their monitoring against road obstructions, today, July 30, in their respective cities until this will be cleared during the official opening of the face-to-face classes.

Reactivate or deputize brgy tanods

Aside from that, they will also coordinate with the barangay captains to let some of their village watchers or barangay tanods assist traffic enforcers in ensuring the safety of the students when crossing roads near the schools.

In Talisay City, Tumulak said that they would need at least two to three barangay tanods who would coordinate with a traffic enforcer, who would serve as their team leader.

“Nasabutan sad namo nga e-reactivate og balik kung duna nay existing ug mo deputize og barangay tanods kung wala pa. So kining pag deputize ug pag reactivate sa tanods, agi ni syaog tabang sa traffic enforcers kay dili man lang eskwelahana ang amoang bantayan kundi apil pod ang major thoroughfares,” Tumulak said.

(We also agreed to reactivate if there are existing (persons) and who can deputize barangay tanods if they still have not one. So this job to reactivate and deputize tanods, this is a way to help traffic enforcers because it is not just the schools that we are monitoring but these include the major thoroughfares.)

Tumulak said that they would train these village watchers about traffic management.

Traffic education to students

Aside from that, Tumulak said that they had concurred to include in their programs the conduct of traffic education to learners, specifically grades 1 to 5.  They will coordinate with the school heads of the respective schools for this plan.

Next week, Tumulak said that they would ask for the schedule to meet with the new director of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Ernesto Gregorio, to ask for assistance regarding the placement of pedestrian crossings outside the schools.

In Talisay City alone, Tumulak said that the 150 traffic personnel that they had would not be enough to cater to the needs of the city. That is why he requested 25 augmentations to the existing enforcers in the city effective hopefully this August.

As they would expect the increasing volume of vehicles and commuters on the streets, Tumulak further reminded the public that all traffic enforcers would continue to strictly implement the existing traffic rules and that they should abide by this.

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