Drivers buck ordinance for gov’t IDs in Cebu city

Some drivers groups in Cebu oppose a move to require drivers to settle their traffic penalties before they are given an identification card from the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO).
A proposed city ordinance sponsored by Councilor Nestor Archival Sr. aims to require all drivers of public utility vehicles like taxis and jeepneys to display their CCTO-issued IDs on the dashboard of their vehicles.
To have the IDs renewed, drivers would have to settle all traffic fines for violations within six months before the expiration date.
In a public hearing on the ordinance last week, Greg Perez, coordinator of Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) Cebu, said high penalties on violations should be stopped by the city.
“Dili sulbad ang daghan og dinagko nga multahan subay sa Cebu City Ordinance 1605 ug C.O. 2207 aron lang madisiplina ang driver, dili nato pug-on ang nagkalisud nga PUV drivers nga gipuga nang daan sa taas nga presyo sa lana, buhis sa lana ug abangan (Imposing stiff penalties for Cebu City Ordinance 1605 and 2207 is not the way to instill discipline among drivers. Let’s not add to the burden of PUV drivers who are already suffering from the high cost of fuel and jeepney rentals,” Perez said in Cebuano.
Instead of having CCTO-issued IDs displayed in their vehicles, Piston is suggesting that the city allow the use of IDs, like those issued by their transport group to member-drivers.
The Visayas United Drivers Transport and Allied Services Cooperative (VUDTRASCO), for their part, commended to the CCTO the filing of cases in court against erring drivers with unsettled fines to instill discipline.
However, they suggested that old fines should not be collected anymore.
“And, if this is not too much for the asking, please let us do away with the continuing effort to collect fines already deemed prescribed by law,” said Alex Bordadora of VUDTRASCO.
National Confederation of Transport-workers Union (NCTU) Cebu Chairperson Romeo Armamento said they’re okay with the IDs coming from CCTO but they asked that there should be no expiry date.
Armamento also said penalties should remain so that drivers will think twice in committing traffic violations.
But in their position paper, the CCTO said there should be a specified period of effectivity of the IDs they issue as well as an expiry date.
After the public hearing, the comments and suggestions from the speakers will be considered by Archival in amending or changing the provisions in his proposed ordinance.
After which, the final version will again be presented to the city council for final deliberation and approval.