Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has now seen fit to put it upon himself to personally and officially address the chaotic traffic situation in Cebu. By taking over the operations of the Cebu Integrated Traffic Operations Management (Citom), he hopes he will be able to find solutions to the vehicular chaos in our streets.
But I sincerely doubt if his presence can work wonders given that the solution requires an integrated, systemic and strategic approach. It is, nonetheless, laudable that by taking over CITOM, the mayor is sending the signal that he recognizes the direness of the situation and is as eager as all of us to find ways to address the chaos that now rules many of the city’s streets.
Last week, I shared Paul Gerschwiler’s emailed comments regarding, among others, the worsening traffic in the metropolis. After reading it, he emailed me back to react to Dr. Lawrence Liao’s suggestions. For reasons of space I can only reprint a few words from Paul’s email, thus:
“Do we have a uniformity of the “real needs of the city population or the comfort and safety of the traveling public? No. Therefore, the Singapore system will not be easily implemented in Cebu City, because there (in Singapore) the ‘traveling public’ is offered a choice of either paying a toll for the vehicle being allowed to enter the inner city or using a (functioning) Metro Rail Transit (MRT). What choice would be offered in Cebu to the ‘traveling public’ who cannot afford the toll? Furthermore, in Singapore we see cars but no bicycles, trisikads, swarms of wasp-like motor bikers and hordes of multicabs /jeepneys operating outside of any imaginable traffic rule.
“Therefore, any restriction on the side of decent cars, be it (1), (2) or (3) would possibly lead to an augmentation of other (wilder) means of transportation because the ‘traveling public’ definitely wants to move and has to move in the city, either by car or by other means.
“The traffic flow would probably improve if everybody simply kept to some basic traffic rules, such as: the right lane is indeed a lane and not a car park area, or: yellow and red traffic lights mean for you to stop and not to ignore it and thereby cause a clog / jam by becoming entangled with oncoming vehicles in the middle of the intersection. Keeping to traffic rules would surely skim some of the problem.
“But all this would require discipline. If you want discipline, go to Singapore, or to Switzerland, for that matter. Here, discipline is not at the top of people’s priority list. That is why it is – sometimes – more fun in the Philippines.”
A few hours later, Paul retorted with another email, this time illustrating a personal experience that might help give us a hint to where Citom can help:
“There is something to add regarding traffic control in the city. Recently, I had a meeting (in) Lopez Jaena Street and as all the parking lots in front were taken I turned the next left (I think it’s Mabini Street) and parked properly to the left were other cars were also parked. An hour later, I came back to find my wheel clamped and a note under the wiper that I have to immediately show up at a Citom office just behind the South terminal.
“So I grabbed a taxi and went there. I was already expected and swiftly brought to the cashier where I had to pay a fine of P1,000 for my misdemeanor, which was actually that my car, although properly parked at the side and no obstacle for anybody, was pointed in the wrong direction. With my fine paid, an operator instructed the Citom street controller by walky-talky to remove the clamp. A taxi ride later, I retrieved my car, free to go.
“The whole action took less than an hour, including the taxi rides from Parian to the South Terminal and back. I told my people, that this was the swiftest and most efficient interaction with a local authority I ever experienced during my many years in Cebu.
“Why am I telling this? (Just) imagine the positive effect on city traffic if Citom concentrated their action more on the real culprits causing jam and chaos instead of patrolling the quiet side roads. Imagine (if) every drastic break of traffic rules like crossing an intersection at red light or other ruthless behavior would be effectively punished on the spot by a P1,000 fine. That would be more like Singapore. People say that Singapore is a fine country because they fine you at almost everything you do.”
I fully agree with Paul. Those who have been to Singapore know fully well that the system works there not only because of an efficient system but also because of steep fines like $300 for gum chewing in public. You will also notice that there is not a single traffic enforcer or policeman on the streets in that city-state. At specific sections are warnings that the street is covered by a 24-hour camera. Maybe it is time for some drastic moves, Mayor Mike? And are Cebuanos prepared to pay steep fines to instill discipline when even many rich shoppers cannot park properly at Ayala’s or SM’s parking lots, abusing the courtesy provided them just because they will be charged 25 pesos for parking?
At McDonald’s near Cebu Doctors’ University, for example, the perimeter wall is profuse with “No Parking” signs and what do you see there? Cars parking right beside these signs! For the wealthy, the kind of discipline that matches that of Singapore begins right in these commercial establishments or even inside private, gated subdivisions while they are still kids riding with their parents. If security guards and store/mall owners cannot impose discipline in their own private establishments, then we can forgive Mayor Mike if he fails. Because even these supposedly rich, educated drivers do not seem to care and are passing on their misdemeanor to their kids who ride with them.