Commuters, drivers air out complaints

Commuters and drivers of public utility jeepneys (PUJs) are complaining about the heavy traffic along Natalio Bacalso Avenue due to the ongoing underpass construction which is expected to continue until Sinulog next year.

“Traffic man. Maapektuhan gyud ang mga nagjeep, kay mugamay ra maground. Imbis mu-round ka'g napu, wa na, pito nalang ka round,” said Francis Gonzaga, a PUJ driver for 15 years.

Gonzaga's jeep, which goes through Bulacao and Colon, now takes two hours to complete one full round as opposed to only one and a half hour before.

Paul Cyril Toquido, a sophomore student, said he had a hard time getting a ride since all the PUJs are full by the time they get to his stop.

Motorcycle driver Loloy Sanchez said that he expects to lose half of his income for the day since he has fewer passengers.

“Mawagtang ang tunga sa among kita tungod aning traffic. Wa tay mahimo kay project man na nila. Makabenepisyo ra gyud ta ana. Ang traffic di gyud na kalikayan kung ang driver musundog ra gyud sa balaod,” said Sanchez.

Traffic enforcer Marlon Enriquez said that the traffic is worse this week compared to the previous week, adding that one of the reasons for the traffic, aside from the construction, is the inability of drivers to follow road rules and signages.

“Dili man siguro traffic kung mu-follow lang gyud ang driver. Mag-inilogay man gyud sila sa lane. Mao nang usa nga maka-traffic. Magkahuot man. Kay kung ila lang gyud tumanon ang gibutang nga one way, di siguro mag-traffic,”

He said that if drivers will give way and wait for their turn on the road, then there would be lesser traffic.

Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) head Francisco Ouano said motorists will just have to bear with the heavy traffic.

“Wala na tay makita nga laing solusyon para i-guide ang atong mga sakyanan. We can't please everybody. Normal ra man nga naa'y magreklamo. Pero makita pud nato nga maka-benefit gyud ni siya sa syudad,” Ouano said.

Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, who chairs the council committee on public order and safety, assured that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and project contractor WT Construction Inc. are striving hard to speed up the project.

“As of [today], heavy traffic gyud kay wa ma'y laing agianan. Makahangyo nalang ta sa atoang mga tawo to make some contingency measures especially ang pagtravel diha,” Tumulak said.

Starting Monday, only the outermost northbound lane, which leads to the city, was open to vehicular traffic due to the ongoing construction. The three other lanes, including the entire south-bound lane and the innermost northbound lane, were closed.

“We're doing the best we can,” Mayor Tomas Osmeña said. “We have to do it [now]. Agwanta lang gyud, because if we delay it some more we're not going to escape the problem.”

DPWH project engineer Roy Dela Cruz said that the construction will continue 24/7 as soon as the contractor's electrical permit is approved by the Visayan Electric Company (VECO).

“Anticipated nato nga mu-increase ang manpower and also the equipment. Mao gyud atong ipadali, para malessen ang inconvenience,” he added.