CAGAYAN de Oro City lawyer Edgardo Uy, chief of the Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA), wants “trisikads” or pedicabs, “habal-habals” or motorcycle taxi, ambulant vendors, among others banned in roads near a mall set to open Friday, May 12.
Uy raised the issue in a meeting with business owners, who will likely be affected by a new traffic scheme to be implemented beginning Friday.
The new traffic scheme, which will be on dry-run on Tuesday, May 9, will prohibit the operations of pedicabs or any motorized unit, ambulant vendors, makeshift structures, setting up of terminals or “alleys,” operations of motorcycles for hire, and will not allow motorelas other than the Agora liners to pass by the area.
Uy cited the lack of participation from village officials in controlling pedicabs in major roads as one of the causes of the traffic problem, saying some of them are even pedicabs owners and protectors.
“Even barangay officials, not all, but some, are violators of ordinances, number one, they operate triskidads, number two, they are protecting operators of trisikads in barangay 1 to 40, number 3, they are registering trisikads in barangay 1 to 40, number 4, they are constructing sidewalk structures in violation of city ordinances, owners of these structures are barangay officials,” he said.
“Sadly, it’s quite frustrating if we do not get the cooperation, some are cooperating, but there are those who really need to seriously consider that they have a task to fulfill for the sake of the city, not just for their own personal interest,” he said.
The city's traffic code prohibits the operation of pedicabs in barangays 1 to 40, which are considered as the commercial barangays of Cagayan de Oro.
Village chiefs, who were present during the special meeting, denied the accusations.
Barangay 28 chair Hilario Nagac said they have not allowed the registration of pedicabs in his barangay.
“Wala mi ga-register ug trisikad diha kay nakahibalo mi nga bawal, so there are instances na madalahig mi. Ga-kooperar man mi, sa among barangay wala man kay makita nga sidewalk diha, Osmena-Luna (We do not allow registration of pedicabs because we know it is illegal, but there are instances that we are just involved unintentionally. We always cooperate with our barangays you don't see sidewalk vendors in Osmena-Luna area),”
he said.
Delia Wabe, Barangay 31 chief, denied operating pedicabs in her village.
“Dili man ko gapa-register ug sikad diha sa akong barangay, didto man na sila sa dagko nga barangay gapa-register, manganha lang dayon sila sa amoang lugar mag-alley, pero actually dili gyud kami ang gapa-register diha (I don't allow the registration of pedicabs in my barangay, they usually register in the big village, and they just come to our barangay to set up an alley),” she said.
“For those saying that I am a protector, it is not true,” Wabe said in vernacular.
Placido Florendo, Barangay 24 chief, for his part, said the RTA failed to reach out to his barangay for the new traffic plan.
He said he was shocked upon learning that the Osmena-Agudo street was made a one-way street.
“We ask the RTA to coordinate with us barangay officials so that we will be prepared in the possible closure of roads and streets,” he said.
In the updated traffic plan of the RTA, there will be no parking on both sides of the national highway in Recto Avenue, bounded by Valenzuela Avenue and Velez street, except on available setbacks for parking spaces.
The no parking policy will also be implemented on both sides of Osmena Street between Gaabucayan and Luna streets, some 50 meters after the intersection, except on the available setbacks for parking spaces.
The three opening slots of the center island of Recto Avenue, fronting the mall up to the University of Science and Technology of the Southern Philippines will be totally closed to vehicular traffic to avoid the conflict of excessive turning movements of vehicles, including vehicles that turn left towards the mall.
All vehicles that are allowed to take exit along the main entrance of the mall and those passing towards the main exit gate will also be allowed to only turn right towards Recto Avenue and Osmena Street, respectively, while all vehicles passing Agudo street shall turn right only from Osmena, towards its one-way direction.
A one-way street scheme will be implemented along Agudo streets, from Osmena to Vicente Roa street.
Only Lapasan liners, Gusa-RC liners, NHA-RB liners, Bulua-B3 liners, Camp Evangelista-C2 liners, and taxi cabs will be allowed to load and unload along Recto Avenue fronting the mall, while NHA-RA liners, blue motorelas and taxi cabs will be allowed to load or unload along Osmena street fronting the mall.
Jeepneys which are Gusa-RC and RD liners, Bulua-B3 liners, and Bugo liners will be the only public utility jeepney allowed to load or unload in Recto Avenue opposite of the mall.