A Davao City councilor said that the new Speed Limit Ordinance is not meant to slow down vehicles in the city, but to ensure road safety and fewer road accidents.
First District Councilor Luna S. Acosta, chairperson of the committee on peace and public safety, said in fact, the new ordinance has increased the speed limit on some roads.
During the Wednesday’s Habi at Kape media forum on December 13, at Ayala Malls Abreeza, Acosta said the City Ordinance No. 0270-23 Series of 2023, otherwise known as the "Speed Limit Ordinance of Davao City", said the “new speed limit increases most of the speed limit that Dabawenyos are already used to.”
Some roads where the speed limit is 60 kilometers per hour (kph) have been moved up to 80 kph because Acosta believes that the speed limit ‘should not be a burden’ to the motorists.
She said the new ordinance is meant to ensure that drivers would follow a particular speed limit when traversing roads even when there is no traffic personnel present.
“We want to avoid accidents and not create them. So we want to instill this sort of discipline in Dabawenyos. If we have a speed limit, please follow the same. This is for your safety and everyone traversing our roads,” Acosta said.
With regards to the ordinance’s varying speed limits imposed on several roads, Acosta said that it is based on Republic Act (RA) 4136 otherwise known as the “Land Transportation and Traffic Code.” According to her, they just want to follow the national law.
Acosta also said she has already met with the Land Transportation Office (LTO), the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO), and other stakeholders; and they all agreed that they will follow the city ordinance.
She emphasized that the speed limit that will be imposed in the city is compliant with RA 4136.
All concerned agencies of the ordinance have delegated one month for an information drive that will run from December 11 to January 11, 2023.
On the first day of the campaign, they posted on social media materials and attended several forums, and the CTTMO distributed pamphlets to the drivers. RGP