Cebu City Hall and Basilica premises now clamping areas

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Michael Rama ordered the personnel of the City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM) to clamp any vehicle that will be found parked beside the roads and obstructing the flow of traffic within the Basilica del Santo Niño and City Hall premises.

Rama said he will encourage traffic enforcers to clamp even his issued service vehicle if it will obstruct the flow of traffic, although some traffic enforcers describe it only a mere gimmick of the mayor.

“Kinsa ba gud tawo’y mo-clamp sa sakyanan sa mayor nga dunay dako kaayo nga vanity plate nga mayor sa atubangan ug luyo,” said one of the traffic enforcers assigned near the Basilica. (Who would dare clamp the mayor’s vehicle?)

CITOM executive officer Rafael Christopher Yap said there were vehicles that were clamped by his personnel when these were found illegally parked along P. Burgos Street and other nearby roads yesterday morning.

Yap advised motorists not to park their vehicles beside the road because it will contribute to the traffic problem, particularly because they closed the road in front of the Basilica del Santo Niño.

According to him, motorists can park their vehicles at the huge area near the old Compania Maritima building just across the City Hall and adjacent to the newly completed Senior Citizens Park.

Meanwhile, Yap announced that they will not allow buses to use the South Bus terminal along Natalio Bacalso Avenue during the holding of the Sinulog mardi gras on January 20.

Instead of using the Cebu South Bus Terminal, Yap said the south-bound buses will be allowed to use as temporary terminal the wide area at the South Road Properties (SRP) where the nationwide thanks-giving mass for Saint Pedro Calungsod was held last November 30.

From the SRP, Yap said the passengers will be transported up to the Senior Citizens Park where they can walk from.  (FREEMAN)