THE Cebu City Traffic Office (CCTO) is set to implement its “BanTal Discipline Zone” on Monday, June 23, 2025, a comprehensive plan aimed at alleviating severe traffic congestion along the Banilad-Talamban (BanTal) corridor.
However, the new scheme is already facing skepticism from public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers regarding its effectiveness and feasibility in minimizing traffic congestion on that specific road section.
On Friday, June 20, several PUJ drivers told SunStar Cebu they doubt the new scheme’s effectiveness, primarily due to concerns that the designated new routes are too narrow and will only exacerbate existing traffic woes. They argued that rerouting vehicles onto smaller side streets will inevitably lead to more bottlenecks and longer travel times, rather than easing congestion.
“I don’t agree because it will cause too much traffic since the road is narrow, but we can’t do anything because it’s their decision,” Natalio Granzon Jr., a traditional PUJ driver, said in Cebuano.
Meanwhile, Roger Vallena, a resident of Barangay Bacayan, expressed support for the new traffic scheme, noting it was a good move given the increasing volume of vehicles in the area and the lack of road expansion over the years.
“There are so many vehicles passing by there; the traffic volume is high, yet the road hasn’t been expanded for years, and nothing has been done. Now, at least they’re doing something,” he said in a mix of Cebuano and English.
Last June 1, Mayor-elect Nestor Archival discussed this initiative to alleviate persistent traffic congestion along Gov. M. Cuenco Ave., a critical thoroughfare for motorists that overlaps with part of Ban-Tal Road.
The four main components of the “discipline zone” are:
• Establishment of the Talamban Circle: This aims to prioritize and manage high traffic volume during morning and afternoon peak hours.
• Creation of PUV Lay-bys: These off-street designated stops for jeepneys and buses are intended to provide safer and more convenient boarding and alighting points for commuters.
• Imposition of a Motorcycle Lane: The rightmost lane of every bound of Gov. M. Cuenco Ave. will be designated as a motorcycle lane, similar to the setup on the Cebu South Coastal Road.
• Diversion of PUJs to Highway 77: PUJs bound for Tintay will be rerouted to Highway 77 to relieve vehicular traffic volume along the stretch from Talamban gym up to Tintay.
CCTO head Racquel Arce had said that during rush hour (4 p.m. to 8 p.m.), Tintay-bound PUJs will be required to turn right at Highway 77 from Talamban Road, bypassing the Talamban Gym junction and exiting near the barangay hall before proceeding to Tintay.
During an interview with CCTO assistant head Kent Francesco Jongoy on Friday, June 20, he emphasized there will be penalties for violations, though these still vary widely under the traffic code. He reiterated that the CCTO’s mandate is solely for traffic management, not long-term infrastructure projects.
He also acknowledged the need for augmented traffic enforcement, inviting criminology students from various universities to assist, viewing it as a practical training opportunity.
The CCTO plans an information drive through social media and traffic advisories at strategic locations, with information dissemination to stakeholders having begun earlier this week.
It will also intensify enforcement of City Ordinance 987, or the Crash Helmet Requirement Ordinance, which mandates the compulsory use of crash helmets for all motorcycle riders and passengers.
The ordinance was enacted primarily to minimize head concussions or injuries caused by motorcycle collisions on the road.
Jongoy explained that the City is now taking a more aggressive approach to enforcement, not just to prevent injuries, but to instill a deeper understanding of road safety values in the community.
“We are now being aggressive in the enforcement of this ordinance not only for the prevention of any injuries but in order for us to see or to emphasize road safety not just among the traffic enforcers but also for the road users alike,” he said.
The ordinance also strictly limits the number of passengers to one per motorcycle, in a bid to prevent overloading.
“It does not only require the riders and the drivers to have the helmet which we call under the ordinance a crash helmet but it requires the driver not to overload. There’s a prohibition as to two passengers in a single motorcycle,” he added.
Authorities are calling on all motorcycle users to comply with safety regulations to help build a safer road. / ANTONETTE CAREN ARRABIS, CNU INTERN AND JEANETTE ARINQUE, HOLY NAME UNIVERSITY INTERN