Monday, May 19, 2008 Pahina road closure breaks city ordinance
UNWITTINGLY or not, the Cebu City Council has disobeyed an ordinance it passed last year.
In approving a request for a road closure during the amendment portion of its session last week, the council violated the ordinance that requires such request to be made at least two months before the scheduled closure.
Ironically, it was City Councilor Raul Alcoseba who authored the ordinance, and the one who endorsed the request for the road closure. The request is from Pahina San Nicolas Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Chairman Janice Cambonga.
Alcoseba could not be reached for comment yesterday, but Vice Mayor Michael Rama said he will look into the matter.
Amended
“We will look into that so we can make the necessary corrections. The ordinance might have to be amended,” Rama said in Cebuano in a phone interview.
Barangay officials often request for a road closure when celebrating their barangay or sitio fiestas, and Rama said that preparations for it take a long time.
In coming up with the ordinance, Alcoseba had said that temporary road closures were made in the past without giving due notice to the City and the motorists.
“To regulate requests and properly apprise the public of an impending closure of roads or streets, there is a need to pass an ordinance for the safety and convenience of the people,” he said in the ordinance.
The ordinance, which was passed immediately after Alcoseba asked for its approval in Oct. 10, 2007, required a cash bond of P1,000 to P2,000.
It also directed organizers to remove obstructions immediately after the scheduled activity.
Buntings
The requesting parties should avoid installing overhead lights, buntings, streamers or any other paraphernalia across the road lower than the required clearance for emergency vehicles to pass through.
Those whom the courts found guilty of violating the ordinance will be imprisoned for one to six months and will have to pay a P2,000 fine.
If they opt for an amicable settlement, they should pay P1,000 as compromise fee, with their cash bonds forfeited in favor of the City.
Juridical entity
And if the offending party is a juridical entity like a corporation, the penalty is imposed on its president, manager or person responsible for the request.
Under the current practice, any request for road closure needs an endorsement from the City Traffic Operations Management before the council approves it.
But while such requirement is observed, there were also instances when closures were made a day or just days after the council approval.
Cambonga’s request was no exception.
She asked to close Garlfied St. starting yesterday, which is just four days after the council approval. The closure is until this Saturday, May 24.
Her letter to Mayor Tomas Osmeña, sent through Alcoseba, was dated April 29, which is less than 30 days prior to the scheduled closure.
Barangay Captain Antonio Caruzca’s letter was dated May 7, while Cebu City Police Office Traffic Group Chief Jonathan Abella’s endorsement was dated May 9.
The road closure was intended for Pahina San Nicolas’ SK Inter-Sitio basketbal and volleyball summer league.” (RHM)
