Political will in Mandaue

BERSALES

Let me digress from the series of articles on the towns of Cebu in the late Spanish period to congratulate Mayor Luigi Quisumbing for his zeal in strictly enforcing traffic laws and ordinances in Mandaue City. In just one day 1,000 jaywalkers were apprehended!

As a first-time mayor, it is amazing to see one who shirks not from the responsibility of disciplining drivers and commuters alike even at the pain of possibly losing a few votes in future elections.

For one, I finally saw traffic enforcers issuing citations to violators who insist on making an illegal left turn to that MacDonald’s outlet near the intersection of Hernan Cortes and Alejandro S. Fortuna streets. Traffic always comes to a full stop, even if the lights are green because of these stupid and greedy drivers coming from the opposite direction who counterflow right after the intersection in order to enter the drive-thru of that McDonald’s outlet, and it does not seem to mind if it contributes to encouraging traffic violations as long as it gets to sell burgers.

I have written about this in one or two previous columns last year and finally my prayers have been answered. The next thing everyone wants to see is if this strict implementation will finally be imposed on drivers who do the same counterflowing maneuver in order to enter that barbecue shop, right after McDonald’s.

Nobody knows the trouble we’ve seen there day in and day out as well as during the peak hours of the evening. Those two cameras installed at the intersection will have lots of stories to tell, if they could only speak. The worse part is there are even people outside the outlet who guide these unscrupulous drivers to the limited parking lot. It gets worse during supper when a whole outer lane becomes parking for all kinds of cars and commuters eating inside.

This will get worse before it can get better. One of course understands this restaurant —which serves superb barbecue bar none — has to make business, but time will come when the sheer volume of customers on board cars will choke this intersection, if it has not yet done so right now. And I earnestly urge the owners to find novel ways to contribute to the betterment of road discipline.

At the level of government enforcement, however, why not provide signs where drivers can make a U-turn far from this intersection? What makes it so difficult to do this alternative which one finds in other countries?

Must we wait for President Digong Duterte to come over and impose discipline on these errant drivers?

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As prelude to an upcoming book on the biodiversity of Cebu’s remaining forests, the USC Biological Museum is inviting the public to a unique exhibit entitled, “Insects from Cebu’s Forests: A Closer Look, Photography by Fr. Jun Rebayla, SVD” at the 3rd floor of the Josef Baumgartner Learning Resources Center, University of San Carlos-Talamban Campus. The exhibit features 24 insects found in Mt. Lantoy, Argao and the Nug-as Forest in Alcoy. The event is also part of the celebrations of the university’s School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) Days.