Council orders road warnings

Police visit area for Calungsod mass security plans

Citom Executive Director Atty. Rafael Yap says the installation of traffic signs and markers can be funded by part of their P180-million budget

Traffic managers have yet to conduct a 30-day trial on a truck ban recommended by Mayor Michael Rama, as one way to curb road accidents

TO make it safer for motorists, the Cebu City Council ordered the City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) to install traffic warning signs and markers along the whole stretch of the Cebu South Coastal Road (CSCR).

The council lamented that no traffic warnings have been installed since the CSCR was opened to the public, on the dangers of driving too fast.

“Several traffic accidents have already happened at the area, particularly in the vicinity of the Association of Barangay Council’s building, which involved death, physical injuries and damage to property,” said Councilors Michael Ralota and Richard Osmeña in a onepage resolution approved by the council.

Ralota and Osmeña said the signs should include warnings motorist that the CSCR is an accident-prone area and a reminder for drivers to slow down.

The CSCR, which is a national road maintained by the Department of Public Works and Highways, has a speed limit of 60 kilometers per hour.

The two councilors invoked City Ordinance (CO) 801, also known as the Revised Traffic Code of Cebu City, which mandates Citom to install early warning signs on roads and streets that are prone to vehicular accidents.

Sought for comment about the matter, Citom Executive Director Atty. Rafael Yap said his

office will work on the matter and that the installation of traffic signs and markers can be funded by their estimated P180-million budget this year.

Accident-prone

Yap has already said that the CSCR is a “very accident-prone area,” and that vehicular accidents happen there at least once every week based on Citom’s records.

Earlier, Mayor Michael Rama had said he wanted to restrict the use of the CSCR and implement a truck ban at certain hours to lessen the vehicular accidents in the area.

Citom, though, has yet to conduct a 30-day trial on the planned truck ban.

Meanwhile, around 600 personnel from the Cebu City Police Office held a dry run at the South Road Properties yesterday as part of their security preparations for a national thanksgiving mass on Nov. 30.

All station commanders and operatives from special units of the city’s police force were distributed among the 19 blocks of the 27-hectare SRP site, for the thanksgiving celebration in honor of San Pedro Calungsod.

An additional 700 police are expected to be added to the security force on the day itself.

Personnel from the Police Regional Office, Provincial Police Office and Armed Forces are expected, along with “force multipliers” like the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT), criminology interns, security guards and barangay tanods.

Hot spot

A team from the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation and other paramedics will be on standby for any emergencies.

“It is important that a dry run like this should happen so that the policemen will get a feel for what will happen on the actual date of deployment, including the heat of the sun,” said

Senior Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe, chief of the Cebu City police.

Other police teams will also be on the streets to look after the foot procession, as well as the car park where hundreds of vehicles are also expected to arrive. Soldiers will help control the crowd. Participants may be frisked to prevent deadly weapons from being brought in among the crowd.

A resolution for a special gun ban, from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1, 2012, has been approved by the Police Coordinating and Advisory Council (PCAC).

If it is approved, owners of licensed firearms will not be allowed to bring their firearms outside their houses on those dates.

“A rally might happen especially if President Aquino will be here,” said Chief Insp. Wildemar Tiu, the operations chief. “We are also preparing for that possible scenario. Rest assured everyone will be safe, be they a VIP or an ordinary individual.”