MANDAUE City is revisiting its jaywalking ordinance, with city councilors debating whether stricter enforcement is needed to ensure pedestrian safety. The discussion follows a resolution filed by Councilor Raul Kevin Cabahug to review the law’s current implementation.
Cabahug stated that the Committee on Transportation, led by Councilor Hylario “Hyll” P. Ouano, is consulting on the status of the ordinance and its enforcement. “Before that, I made the resolution regarding that matter. So, our head of the team, Sir Hyll, we are asking what is the status of the ordinance if it is really strictly implemented,” Cabahug said.
The councilor noted that enforcement of the ordinance has been limited. While the final decision rests with Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” M. Ouano, Cabahug believes that stricter implementation is in the public interest.
“It’s really up to the mayor but I would suggest to the mayor that it’s better to have a strict implemented. It’s meant to be for jaywalking. As we all know, as I’ve said, this is for the benefit and for the safety of everyone,” he added.
According to Cabahug, the existing ordinance only outlines penalties for students, whose identification cards can be confiscated and turned over to their school principals. He expressed concern that there are no specific penalties for other individuals.
“I’ve already asked the ordinance to read the penalties. It is just only the owns of the IDs, confiscates them, and then gives it to the school principals in each school,” he said.
“So I haven’t seen any penalties so far for jaywalking. And yes, we will revisit again the old ordinance. I have to read the original, not the amended. What I read is the amended only.”
Cabahug also commended Mayor Ouano’s initiatives to improve road safety, mentioning the recently installed lights on city skywalks.
In a separate but related move, the City Council submitted a resolution on September 8, 2025, requesting that barangay captains deploy their tanods between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. to help manage pedestrian flow and enforce traffic discipline in their areas. / ABC