Mayor Gullas appoints peace consultant as traffic supervisor

CEBU, Philippines — The Talisay City government consultant for peace and order has been given authority by City Mayor Eduardo Gullas to hire or fire traffic enforcers of the City of Talisay Traffic Operations Development Authority (CT-TODA). 

Aside from police matters, Cecil Ezra Sandalo, a retired general, will now also supervise the city's traffic situation.

Gullas clarified that Almond dela Peña will remain as CT-TODA chief. 

After receiving numerous complaints from constituents and motorists, the mayor has observed that traffic congestion in the city is partly caused by narrow streets as well as the increasing volume of vehicles, sidewalk vendors, and parking tricycles.

To lessen congestion, the city has began apprehending delivery trucks passing along the Tabunok underpass particularly at Rafael Rabaya Street going to Barangay Lagtang and along N. Bacalso Street near the vicinity of Tabunok Public Market.

Trucks delivering goods to Tabunok Market will pass and park along the streets only before 6 a.m., between 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

The new traffic policy is in effect only in Barangay Tabunok at present.

In coordination with the traffic police, apprehended drivers will be issued a Temporary Operators Permit (TOP).  On his new responsibility, Sandalo said that they are trying their best to decongest traffic flow.

"We cannot do everything immediately but  we are doing our best, " Sandalo said.

With regards to tricycles and habal-habals plying the underpass, Sandalo said that probably starting next week, they will be transferred to a temporary terminal located at Rafael Rabaya Street.

It was reported that the city government and Marlito Uy, the owner of the property has signed a memorandum of agreement allowing the city to utilize the vacant lot for free. (FREEMAN)