EdPam urges Angeleños to obey traffic rules

ANGELES CITY- Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan has called the attention of the public to strictly follow traffic rules to avoid apprehensions.

“The reports coming from the Public Transport and Regulatory Office (PTRO) and Angeles City Traffic Development Office (ACTDO) regarding the number of apprehensions on traffic violations are quite alarming because it shows that a great number of motorists, both public and private, are either ignorant of traffic laws or they are just indifferent in following them,” said Pamintuan.

“Though it may be advantageous for the city because of the income it generates, it is also a manifestation that most of our commuters are not keen observers and followers of the traffic rules,” Pamintuan added.

Among all the traffic violations recorded by the Angeles City Traffic Development Office (ACTDO) and the Public Transportation and Regulatory Office (PTRO) in 2016, road obstruction remains to be the most committed road violation with a total of 9,525 apprehensions.

Violation against the implementation of the truck ban in some selected areas came second, while driving without a helmet came on third with 6,048 and 2,074 apprehensions respectively.

Other road violations that garnered the highest number of apprehensions include: none or Invalid Driver’s License with 1,214; wearing of slippers (among drivers of motorcycles and PUJ’s) with 1,032; and no mayor’s permit with 773 total apprehensions.

On the other hand, the city is also enforcing the anti- modified muffler ordinance with 710 number of violators; colorum vehicles with 322 violations; and illegal transport terminals with 206 apprehensions.

Illegally parked vehicles are also being towed in major thoroughfares, and in areas where good traffic condition needs to be maintained.

In summary, a total of P 5.7 million worth of apprehension was recorded for 2016.

“We can help improve the city’s traffic flow and safety by adhering to the law. Unless all of us obey, we cannot achieve the change and the progress we wish to experience,” said ACTDO Chief Danilo Concepcion.

“We are also promoting a ‘corrective’policy upon apprehension. We educate our offenders for them not to repeat the same violations over again,” Concepcion added.

Meanwhile, Councilor Amos Rivera, Chairman of the Committee on Public Transport said that there is an urgent need to amend the Traffic Code of Angeles City in order to address the different problems that we are now encountering.

According to Rivera, among the amendments that will be proposed include the declaration of No Parking Zones in all major thoroughfares of the city; designation of pay-parking for inner barangay roads and other traffic improvement ordinances.

“While the ACTDO and PTRO are really bent in improving the traffic in our city, sometimes their hands are tied because they don’t have to full force of the law to back them up. Among the 3E’s of Traffic Management, Enforcement of the law, together with Education and Engineering, play a vital role in ensuing a successful traffic management plan,” Rivera said.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has approved the 2017 high-impact infrastructure development plans for Angeles City, these are: (1) Abacan Development Corridor, (2) East Circumferential Road, (3) an interchange and a flyover near MarQuee Mall connecting to MacArthur Highway and (4) Cuayan Bridge.

These engineering interventions are seen to further decongest and ease the traffic flow in major road “choke points” in the city.