Tomas eyes private cars ban

Saying he wants to “save the ordinary people” from getting late to work, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is planning to ban private cars on Natalio Bacalso Avenue during peak hours to decongest traffic.

Osmeña said several commuters are complaining about the traffic situation in the area because of the ongoing construction of P638 million underpass project.

“We are seriously or I am seriously and I want to do public consultation on this, that private cars will be banned during peak hours because there are more people in jeepneys than private cars,” Osmeña told reporters yesterday.

The mayor said he is doing it in order to “save the ordinary people” who are obliged to arrive in their workplace on time.

“I have to save the ordinary people who wants to go to work on time… Usually, I am not saying it’s true but usually private cars are people who have better control in their own situation, these are the managers, they can be late, these are the owners of business, this is so and so who wants to go shopping, or whatever,” Osmeña said.

He said private car owners can ride jeepneys or V-hire if they want to pass by Natalio Bacalso Avenue.

“Anyway naay mga remedy sa private cars, mosakay sila sa jeep, mahimo van, whatever V-hire at least six or eight kabuok imbis isa ra, isa ka awto,” Osmeña said.

He, however, clarified that the plan is still subject to public consultation. Osmeña said he just brought it up before the media so the public can react. It was not the first time that Osmeña thought of banning private cars in certain area.

Earlier, he also toyed the idea of banning private cars on Colon Street in downtown Cebu City.

Cebu City Transportation Office operations head Francisco “Isko” Ouano introduced the idea of banning private cars on N. Bacalso sometime in November last year to address the traffic problem. Heavy traffic was experienced by commuters yesterday because of the closure of the portion of F. Llamas Street due to the construction of the underpass project.

Councilor David Tumulak, chairman of the committee on public order and safety, said the city government deployed at least six Kaohsiung buses from 4 p.m. to 7p.m. yesterday to ferry the stranded commuters because of the traffic congestion.

Most of the affected commuters were from the south district barangays like Bulacao, Cogon, Inayawan, Pardo, Kinasang-an, Quiot, Basak Pardo, Basak San Nicolas, among others.

The Kaohsiung buses ferry passengers from downtown Cebu City to Caimito Street in Mambaling. Starting today, northbound PUJs can drop their passengers on Cabreros Street because there will be available Kaohsiung buses to bring them to downtown for free.