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Friday, July 07, 2006
Tomas does a U-turn on Mandaue drivers’ plea
The ban on Mandaue City jeepneys from entering Cebu City stays.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday took back his earlier announcement that drivers will get a 90-day reprieve from the implementation of City Ordinance 1837.
The ordinance mandates that inter-city jeepneys should load and unload passengers only in designated terminals.
In the case of Mandaue jeepneys, they are only allowed up to the SM and Ayala mall terminals and cannot go downtown.
In a news conference, the mayor said the drivers should just wait for the approval of the amendments proposed by Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera on City Ordinance 1320.
Ordinance 1320 regulates the operation of jeepneys in the city and specifies the routes and travel lines.
As proposed, 21B and 22B public utility jeepneys may still use Osmeña Blvd. to reach Colon St., which the Mandaue drivers had been fighting for.
To help decongest Osmeña Blvd., Pesquera introduced two new routes, which will only be up to the Ayala mall terminal.
In a public hearing last June 18, she said at least 64 operators have pledged to transfer their units to the new routes.
Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem told the mayor that Pesquera’s proposal is set for final deliberation at the council next Wednesday.
It was earlier referred to the committee on traffic management headed by Councilor Raul Alcoseba, for comments and suggestions.
Self-explanatory
Jakosalem, chairman of the committee on transportation, assured that Alcoseba will also render a report next week.
Granting that the amendments are adopted, it will only take effect 15 days after publication.
Osmeña said there is no more need for him to grant the reprieve, which he promised would start on Monday.
“No more. That will be the best we can come up with, with the approval of the ordinance,” he said.
The mayor earlier admitted he has no authority to suspend the implementation of Ordinance 1837. His promise to lift the restrictions on Mandaue drivers was supposed to have an imprimatur from the council.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia visited him last Monday in his office to ask what could be done to help the drivers. The mayor said he made the decision “because of my admiration of her coming here.”
Asked if there is a need to inform the governor of his recent decision, he said it is already “self-explanatory.”
In the meantime, the drivers should refrain from traversing up to downtown Cebu City because Citom enforcers will surely pounce on them.
Citom Executive Officer Arnel Tancinco earlier said that with the absence of an order telling them to stand down, they will go on implementing Ordinance 1837. (RHM)/b>
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (July 7, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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