Osmeña Blvd. to become Cebu’s “discipline zone”
The Cebu City Government and the Fuente Police Station have started the initial phase in the implementation of the city’s first “discipline zone.”
The police-initiated action requires the whole stretch of Capitol until Plaza Independencia to be cleared from graffiti, garbage, unregulated parking, and mendicant vendors.
City Councilor David Tumulak together with officials of the Cebu City Transportation Office; Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification, and Enhancement (PROBE); Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP); and personnel from the Fuente Police Station yesterday conducted a walkthrough from Osmeña boulevard near Fuente Osmeña Circle to R. Landon Street to inform affected vendors and stakeholders in the move.
During the walk, Tumulak said he has noticed that there are several obstructions, regulated and unregulated vendors, vandalism, among other problems along the corridor.
“Ang atong katawhan pabalikon nato sa sidewalk kay ang nahitabo karon ang mga tawo dili naman moagi sa sidewalk kay naay mga vendors, hugaw, baho, ngitngit nianang mga bahina. Kung ato ning mapatuman, hapsay na gyud ang atoang siyudad,” he said.
With the implementation of the discipline zone, he said sidewalks will be cleaned, maintained and freed from any obstruction.
Fuente Police Chief Maria Theresa Macatangay said they are still in the information dissemination phase.
"Karon information dissemination sa ato gibuhat nila. But as I understood, this discipline zone will be implemented phase by phase. They were informed accordingly that by Monday, dapat wala na sila diha. And then as the days go by, amo na na pahugtan," Macatangay said.
This is to give ample time to the affected individuals.
Macatangay previously expressed that maintaining the discipline zone might come as a challenge. It will be successful with the coordination of force multipliers, barangay officials and the stakeholders, she said.
"Among giawhag sa ilaha, especially sa mga vendors nga unregulated is just to comply with what has been told to them to do by the City Hall di man sad ta ganahan sa strict implementation na mutiyabaw ta," Macatangay said.
PROBE Head Raquel Bohol-Arce said the city needs to resolve first the problem on the regulated and unregulated sidewalk vendors.
“All ordinances must be strictly enforced in that area. After that, from R. Landon to Jakosalem, lugak ta diha dapit. And then from Jakosalem to Plaza Independencia, balik na sab ta ug strict enforcement sa discipline zone sad to didto,” she said.
Bianito Libaton, who has been vending along the sidewalk of Osmeña Boulevard for over 10 years, said he will agree that they will be transferred to another area.
Libaton said he has been following the rules of the city to get the temporary approval to sell along the city’s sidewalks.
He said he will allow the possible transfer of venue especially if the area is accessible to people.
“Kanang mahalinan sad ba nga dili sad kaayo itago gyud ba. Siguro mangita mi ug eskina lang sad nga maagian gyud ug tawo, nga mabuhi sad mi ba,” he said.
DWUP Operations Chief Genevieve Alcoseba said the city will consult the vendors on the possible area where they will be transferred.
“Pwede sila mo-suggest then we will check kung workable ba. Then, atong pahimoan ug approval. Magpapirma dayon ta ni mayor nga okay sila didto i-relocate,” she said.