Tuesday, October 07, 2008 Talk back: Clearing sidewalks By Joey Garcia Ketchikan, Alaska, USA
(This is in reaction to Nini Cabaero’s column.)
I AM impressed by your article, aside from the removal of the controversial lampposts obstructing traffic protocol, less has been dissected, or mentioned, about clearing the sidewalk vendors all along Cebu City streets.
During my time in Cebu during the incumbency of Dodong Solon, I was in thought of getting the sidewalk vendors along Colon St., for a start. If this experiment was feasible, then it would apply to Juan Luna to the Santo Niño sidewalk, and everything that would mar the beauty of Cebu during the time of Serging Osmeña.
Our plan was to let department stores police their own sidewalk by clearing them of hawkers, i.e. from Gaisano Colon to
Oriente Theatre where hawkers ply their trade leaving the sidewalks closed. This forces shoppers to go on the street, exposing them to the dangers of passing jeepneys.
Format No. 1 — An ordinance must be in place for all department store owners, or renters, to police their front sidewalk spaces that will prevent hawkers from plying their trade there.
Department store owners that refuse to comply should be fined for the first two offenses. For the third offense, they will be charged with a violation as a sidewalk hazard. For the fourth offense, the erring establishment should be closed.
Format No. 2 — Citom personnel should not be allowed to make sidewalks their rest areas after duty. They should take off their Citom vests unless they are performing their traffic enforcement duties.
Format No.3 — Citom should implement the no parking signs, no loading and unloading signs along the routes prescribed thereto. Even city vehicles of the mayor, and down the rank, including generals, should not be exempted from these laws.
If the Citom is strict on jeepney and taxi drivers, they should also be strict with public officials.
