The economic growth of countries with better, if not the best, road networks and seaports is exponential. A plus for these countries is the less or zero corruption in their governments. The classic example is our neighbor Singapore, a tiny nation. Its economic evolution is second to none in the Asean region and its laws are enforced without fear or favor.
On our side of the planet, the current problem with motor vehicle traffic is an indication that we are growing economically but in a slow manner. We are growing despite our country’s encounter with typhoons and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Consolacion, Cebu Mayor Teresa “Nene” Pepito-Alegado, in her inaugural speech, identified the two primary problems that her hometown is currently experiencing, and these are traffic and flooding. It would be totally bizarre for Mayor Alegado, who served Consolacion as its mayor in the past, to ignore the fact that traffic and flooding are the town’s nemeses to its progress.
One doesn’t have to be a scientist to know the basic problems of a developing town or city. The root of the traffic problem in Consolacion is the lack of appropriate zoning and the lackadaisical enforcement of the laws, rules and regulations of the Office of the Building Official. Buildings and establishments just sprout along the highway without complying with the required setback and parking areas for motor vehicles, and this problem is also true in other towns and cities in Cebu and even in other parts of the country.
Alegado’s plan to open more roads and widen the existing streets is good, but this is limited to her turf because she cannot do it on the highway that crosses the town since this is under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Also, the highway can no longer be further widened. To widen again the highway would be costly for the government in paying for the road-right-of way since several buildings and establishments are very near the road.
For me, the only solution to the burgeoning traffic problem in the highway that cuts across the town of Consolacion is for Mayor Nene Alegado to seek funding in coordination with the DPWH and the district’s representative from the National Government for the construction of the elevated tracks or skyway, as we call it here, from the boundary of Mandaue City to the town’s boundary with Liloan.
As a matter of fact, Liloan town, through Cebu Fifth District Rep. Duke Frasco, could also allocate funds for the DPWH to construct the skyway along the Poblacion since the highway that also cuts across the municipality is already congested with traffic coming from Tayud and the old highway that merges in the intersection near the church.
But you know what, the messy traffic from Mandaue City to Danao City would not have happened the way it’s happening now if only the DPWH regional office together with its district offices had come up with better long-term traffic planning since, they’re aware that as time goes by and as the province progresses, the existing narrow highway is a bane to development.
Eric Serras Manait and I discussed this traffic problem a month ago in our radio program “Frankahay Ta” at dyCM Cebu (1152). We suggested to the local officials of Mandaue City, Consolacion, Compostela and Danao City and their district representatives to put their resources together to resolve the traffic problem. Eric suggested a coastal road from Mandaue City to Compostela, while my suggestion was the construction of the skyway from Jagobiao, Mandaue City up to the boundary of Compostela and Danao City. It may sound ambitious, but it’s doable.