THE easing of traffic jams in the city has long been a common goal of every resident of Cagayan de Oro, but it remains unclear under which conditions this consequence of urban life also hampers the development of our economy.
The increasing number of motor vehicles is the most obvious culprit, while people who used to commute are declining. We cannot blame them if they want to buy their own mobility since they also want to avoid being late from their respective works or classes.
Cagayan de Oro is relentlessly rising and we are expecting an influx of people from all walks of life and from other places to visit the city and some are using their own vehicles which aggravate the traffic problem.
As a student and a concerned resident of Cagayan de Oro, I even ask myself how to alleviate this kind of situation because it is not only this city experiencing this contemporary issue but other big cities as well. It’s not the government to be blamed, but the people. We are residents of this city and we are accountable for our actions. I don’t believe that we have poor traffic management which caused the worsening traffic congestion.
As a commuter, I have observed that our main problem about the traffic congestion is the undisciplined drivers of public utility vehicles that load and unload passenger anywhere, double parking in areas not designated for parking, hitting the red light, and undisciplined pedestrians. There are pedal-pushed tricycles (Trisikads) crossing the highway. You will be pissed off seeing these kinds of people. No matter how strongly a traffic policy is implemented, there are still violators.
I am not familiar with those traffic laws created by our law makers, but I hope these will be properly implemented by our law enforcers and appropriate penalties should be imposed against these violators. Probably an information drive, periodic seminar and awareness for the drivers and pedestrians are necessary for us to better assimilate the traffic laws and to address traffic congestion, and for us to be reminded of the benefits of having an orderly and timely flow of traffic. After all, we are residents of this city and we should work together for a better Cagayan de Oro. (Vaughn Kody Formoso)