Tuesday, November 28, 2006 Malilong: Accident prone By Frank Malilong Jr. The Other Side
“Welcome,” partly reads the sign installed by the Cebu Ports Authority (CPA) at the entrance to Pier 4 at the north reclamation area.
The CPA should have added, “Drive at Your Own Risk.” That should have been fair warning to motorists that once you cross the boundary between that part of CPA territory and the rest of the city, you place your safety in grave peril.
From the time that we moved our office to the pier two years ago, I have seen no less than 30 traffic accidents or remnants of traffic accidents in the area immediately after the “Welcome to Pier 4” sign. I myself had a couple of close calls during the same period.
The latest such mishap involved a police vehicle (fortunately not one of the brand new Innovas but an old Tamaraw) that got entangled with a cargo truck (I can’t recall anymore if it was a 10-wheeler). A few months ago, a vehicle carrying troopers belonging to the Presidential Security Group rammed the car of a shipping executive, nearly killing him.
The unusually high number of vehicular smashups in the vicinity isn’t pure coincidence. Rather, it has something to do with the lack of foresight and proper planning on the part of past Cebu port administrations.
Here’s why. The first service road (E.S. Baclig Street) inside the pier fence runs parallel to the main highway (Sergio Osmeña Road). The two roads are so close to each other (separated only by the fence) that immediately after you cross Osmeña you’re already almost inside E.S Baclig.
Vehicles (and there are columns of them on peak hours) bound for Pier 4 via 3rd Street from Gen. Maxilom Avenue have to cross Osmeña fast or be caught in the onrushing traffic. The trouble is that the flow of vehicles along Baclig and 3rd is unregulated. Thus, if you’re not too careful, you’d find yourself staring at the bumper of a truck — assuming you’re still conscious, coming from either side of Baclig — planted on your car side.
If past CPA administrators had been wiser, they would have had the sense to install a traffic light at the corner of 3rd and Baclig and synchronize it with the one at the corner of Maxilom and Osmeña. Then, the welcome sign at the entrance would have truly meant what it said.
But since it is not, especially in this case, healthy to dwell on the inadequacies of the past, I urge the current CPA administration to do what ought to be done. I happen to know Angie Verdan, the incumbent port manager, and I remember that he promised a ship owner, who complained to him about the danger inhabiting 3rd and Baclig, that he will do something about it.
It has been quite some time since Angie has given his word. I trust that he will keep it. He has probably been busy preparing for the upcoming Asean summit like everyone else. The safety and convenience of the Asean heads of state and other dignitaries come first. Ours can wait. I perfectly understand that.
Still, I would be happy if one of these days I would see a port policeman or agent directing traffic at 3rd and Baclig. I’d gladly send Angie, in that event, a basket of flowers, perhaps not as beautiful as the one that I received from Gov. Gwen Garcia, but bearing exactly the same sincere message of thanks.
