No law is set in stone, but that doesn’t mean it’s there to be broken. Instead, laws can be amended to suit new circumstances. As we all know, nothing in this world is permanent, so a law is no exception.
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival made an exception at the behest of Gov. Pamela Baricuatro, who appealed on behalf of commuters, particularly students, affected by the City’s recent ban on provincial buses picking up and dropping off passengers along its southern corridor.
Archival was quick to point out that he was not implementing a new policy. He said he was only enforcing an existing rule and imposing stiffer penalties. According to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, the franchises of provincial buses are point-to-point, from their origin to the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) along N. Bacalso Ave. However, the buses have been acting like public utility jeepneys, making unscheduled stops before leaving the city’s borders, which they are not supposed to do. The mayor cited studies showing that indiscriminate bus stops contribute to as much as 60-70 percent of traffic buildup.
Hmm. I must respectfully disagree. Having frequently ridden buses to visit my grandparents’ hometown of Argao, which, by the way, will be celebrating its town fiesta in honor of St. Michael the Archangel later this month -- ahem, ahem -- I know this is not the case.
First, when buses do stop, it’s only for a moment. It seems the drivers are aware of the rule and are wary of being flagged down for a violation. In my experience, vehicles making turns have a greater effect on traffic.
Second, the majority of people who board provincial buses at the CSBT are heading home, outside of the city. While buses do stop to pick up passengers along the way, these instances are few and far between. Only a few city-bound passengers alight along the city’s southern corridor.
I don’t understand how studies could make buses the main culprit in the city’s southern traffic when the root cause is clear for everyone to see: there are simply too many vehicles on the road, none of which have been widened to accommodate the additional volume in recent years.
Perhaps Mayor Archival realized this, hence his change of heart. It was a positive sign to see a public official not let ego get in the way of common sense. For once, it was a matter of two adults discussing a problem and reaching an agreement for the good of the commuting public, particularly the students affected by the ban.
However, if this was truly a case of the state looking out for the welfare of its constituents, then why limit the stops to just two? I know there are other colleges in the area, so why exclude them?
To make everybody happy, the City Government can address this by placing designated bus stops near or in front of the schools. Perhaps there are studies to support this.