This is another pitch for the creation of MCTA!

Wow! January is gone already and in two weeks, it is Valentines Day once again and it just makes me wonder how traffic would be like on that "Hearts Day" when lovers and former lovers (the folks who end up getting married) would enjoy that day in our finest restaurants, hotels or motels. But last Tuesday, traffic was already heavy even if there was no holiday, which means we really need to find solutions to solve our traffic problem.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña has his idea of apprehending motorists that counterflow on our roads. Small motorcycles are the major violators of this traffic law… also many senseless motorists still double-park their cars and use their emergency signal lights while they violate traffic rules. Perhaps newly installed Land Transportation Office-7 Regional Director Vic Caindec should ask LTO HQ to make the use of emergency signal lights for their illegal parking as one of the biggest penalties in our traffic rule book.

A case in point is the corner of Escario St. along Juana Osmeña Ext. where many motorists banking in Land Bank double-park at perhaps the heaviest area in Escario St. which is located just behind Best Western Hotel. There is usually a traffic enforcer assigned in that busy corner, but I know that if he apprehends a violator it would mean leaving his post and traffic gets from bad to worse. If banks cannot find a place for parking for their clients, then I suggest that Mayor Osmeña does not renew the business permits of banks without parking spaces. I'm sure many motorists would appreciate such a move by Mayor Osmeña… if he listens to our suggestions.

Meanwhile, the issue of apprehending motorists doing a counterflow has been accepted and appreciated by many people. But before he commits to implement this program… the Mayor must add more traffic enforcers on the road… otherwise he runs the risk of hearing noisy complaints by motorists who are also Netizens who would take photos of motorcycles or even cars counterflowing and getting away with the violation because there are now enforcers around to implement this program.

Meanwhile, sensing that he has become irrelevant because he has not been helping with the numerous problems in Cebu, Governor HilarioDavide III recently came out in the media supporting the anti-counterflow plan of Mayor Osmeña. Then he came out proposing to meet with the traffic managers from the cities and towns in Cebu province to find solutions to address the traffic problem: notably that Carmageddon from Minglanilla, Naga to Carcar a few weeks ago where traffic was at a standstill.

I have been very critical of Gov. Davide simply because, to be totally honest, he doesn't seem to bask in the limelight… or that he really has nothing to contribute to Cebu. But I won't call him a "Johnny-come-lately" and wish him luck when he meets with the traffic people from the cities and towns of Cebu province.

Gov. Davide's proposal is to come up with a unified traffic management group similar to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). But before they can implement this plan, I suggest that Gov. Davide call a Traffic Summit… along the lines of the 1st Metro Cebu Traffic Summit, which we call during our time as CITOM chief and was sponsored by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (CCCI). The last time I wrote an article in The Freeman about having a traffic summit was on July 29, 2013 and traffic simply got worse and worse.

During the two Traffic Summits we conducted at the end of the 90s, which were all documented…we ended up calling for the creation of the Metro Cebu Traffic Authority (MCTA) that our very own Rep. Raul del Mar was going to sponsor. For many years, we have been writing about MCTA, but the main problem we faced was the indifference of our political leaders who were seriously lacking in political will.

During our meetings with MEGA Cebu, all nine of Cebu's congressional representatives in 2013-2016 supported House Bill No. 6227 for the creation of a Mega Cebu Development Authority that would include traffic and transportation management. But nothing has happened since. So I can only wish Gov. Davide good luck with his plan to meet with traffic officials in our towns and cities.