Public hearing sought on P1,000 jaywalking penalty

CEBU CITY -- Two committees agree that the Cebu City Council has authority to increase jaywalking fines by up to 1,900 percent.

The committee on laws, ordinances, public accountability and good governance said this is even below the maximum allowed by law.

Councilor Richard Osmeña proposed that the 10-year-old fine of P50 for jaywalking be increased to a minimum of P200 and maximum of P1,000.

"The Sangguniang Panglungsod (City Council) has the power to regulate the use of the streets, avenues, alleys, sidewalks and bridges and approve ordinances imposing a fine," read Councilor Edgardo Labella's committee report as head of the committee on laws and ordinances.

The committee said the City Council can impose a fine of as much as P5,000 or imprisonment of less than a year.

But since the proposed ordinance will involve a lot of people, the committee on laws said that a public hearing should be conducted.

Osmeña, in proposing the increase of fines, said he believes this would give more teeth to the ordinance because it will discourage disobedience of the law.

"This committee finds said proposed amendatory ordinance a very commendable one, thus, recommends for the approval of the same. However, since the proposed measure imposes a fine, a public hearing is deemed necessary to hear the opinion of the public," read the committee report penned by Councilor Noel Wenceslao, as vice chairperson of the committee on traffic.

Wenceslao also noticed that Osmeña added and modified some words in the proposed amendatory ordinance for clarity's sake.

This move, he said, allows a better understanding of the ordinance as a whole. (JGA/Sun.Star Cebu)