CEBU City Councilor Rey Gealon has been named by Mayor Michael Rama as the new chairman of the Traffic Management Committee (TMC) amid issues, and traffic lights that have not yet been fully digitalized and others that malfunction from time to time.
The local lawmaker replaces lawyer Rico “Koko” Rey Francis Holganza, who, according to Rama, voluntarily left the TMC.
Rama made the announcement during during the City Hall’s flag-raising ceremony on Monday, Sept. 25, 2023.
Gealon, a neophyte councilor, is serving as chairman of the committee on laws, ordinances, and styling.
Traffic lights issues
His appointment came amid issues with traffic lights.
SunStar Cebu reported in January that the Cebu City Government anticipated a new traffic light system, which was expected to be operational by the end of Feb. 2023.
This new system is intended to replace the Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System (Scats), which has been in operation for the past 34 years.
The winning contractors for the P480 million new traffic light system are Triune Electronics Systems Inc., a Manila-based technology firm, and Cylix Tech CCTV and Smart Surveillance.
The City Government has not yet assumed control over the management of the traffic lights because the contractors have not completed the project of digitizing all traffic lights in Cebu City.
In March, Rama said he would review the contract with the winning suppliers concerning traffic lights in the city after the TMC rejected the suppliers’ claim that their traffic light system is the most advanced in the world.
During Holganza’s tenure as chairman, the TMC questioned the effectiveness of the new traffic light system, given the increasing number of malfunctioning traffic lights.
Not new
Gealon, in a statement sent to SunStar Cebu, said he is not new in the field of traffic management, as he had served as the Cebu City Transportation Office executive director during the administration of the late mayor Edgardo Labella.
“I sincerely thank the mayor for the trust and confidence he continues to place in me,” said Gealon.
In a phone interview, Rama said Holganza’s departure from the TMC was voluntary. The mayor also acknowledged Holganza’s service to the city, from being a former councilor to being the TMC chairman.
Rama said he has high expectations for Gealon.
SunStar tried to get a statement from Gealon on his plans to solve issues and effective date of his new role but has yet to receive a response.