Rama wants to take lead in handling traffic

Can Cebu City’s traffic congestion be resolved in time for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings starting August?

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama believes this is possible if he’s given the authority to require national agencies concerned to follow his lead in implementing route schemes and ot her programs to minimize traffic congestion.

“I was telling them I can guarantee. Put these people on board, make me take the lead and I will give them the political will and we will improve the traffic in three months time because this is about the city,” Rama told reporters yesterday.

He met with members of the APEC National Organizing Committee led by director general Marciano Paynor, Jr. in his office last Friday afternoon.

The organizers shared t heir concern on the city’s bad traffic situation. Rama told them that he can take the lead in solving it.

Removal
Paynor said Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr. will have to decide on that.

Rama said among his plans would be to remove or reduce center islands and dividers, flaring, and recovery of sidewalks.

Among the islands that the mayor wants removed are those along Pope John Paul II Ave., from the end of Salinas drive near the flyover until the corner of Cardinal Rosales Ave.

Rama said this will also form part of the preparations for the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) in Cebu next year.

Rama also wants to improve the traffic flow in the entire stretch of General Maxilom (Mango) Ave. going to Gorordo Ave. and all the way to Marco Polo Plaza in barangay Busay.

Quick enough
The Banilad-Talamban corridor should also be improved, he said.

“The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) should be quick enough to approve the removal or earth-balling of trees (in the center island),” Rama said.

At least 3,200 delegates will attend high-level APEC meetings in Cebu from August to October.

Among the venues to be used for the meetings will be Radisson Blu Hotel in the North Reclamation Area and Marco Polo Plaza.

In a meeting with Capitol and City Hall officials last week, Paynor said Cebu is 80 percent ready to host the meetings.

Cebu will host the Third Senior Officials’ Meeting on Aug. 24 to Sept. 6; Senior Finance Officials’ Meeting on Sept. 9-10; Central Bank Deputies’ Meeting on Sept. 10; and Transportation Industry CEO Roundtable and Energy Industry CEO Roundtable in October.