Monday, December 04, 2006 Cebu City barangay heads meet today on summit plan
THROUGH the City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) office, the Cebu City Government is installing more traffic signs.
It was observed during last Friday’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit dry run that the city’s streets lacked traffic signs. This left drivers confused, especially those who had no idea where the alternate routes were, or how long the roads were supposed to stay closed.
The leaders’ summit, to be hosted by the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu, will start on Sunday, although preliminary meetings will unfold this week.
Chief Insp. Jonathan Abella, Asean route security and traffic control chief, said they already requested Citom to ask the City Council for an allocation.
The barangays are being asked to help implement the rerouting plan and identify areas where to put up the signs because they know their place best.
Nagiel Bañacia, Cebu City Asean task force head and the City Government’s information officer, said they will do their best to install numerous signs in the streets, specifically in corners and junctions.
“We need the help of the barangays because they know their places more than we do. And they can inform their constituents on what is going on,” he said.
“Admittedly, we lack traffic enforcers. And even if the road closure is only in the ceremonial route, Cebu City is very small that it (road closure) will still affect the downtown areas,” he said.
Citom representatives, Abella, Cebu City Council members and selected barangay officials will meet with Vice Mayor Michael Rama in his office at 10 a.m. today to discuss the matter.
“The focus of the meeting is to look for ways how to support the rerouting plan. Also, we are now in the process of producing more directional signs,” Bañacia said.
He said it was Rama who asked for more traffic signs.
In last week’s session, Rama reminded the PNP, which is taking charge of Asean route security and traffic control, to ensure that motorists and commuters do not end up confused due to the lack of traffic instructions. (RHM)
