Cops see eased traffic amid number coding

CEBU, Philippines — Police saw improvement in Cebu City traffic on the first day of the implementation of the number coding scheme yesterday.

Cebu City Police Office Director Colonel Josefino Ligan said they were being considerate yesterday as it was the first day of implementation but still warned motorists they would face arrest if they disobey authorities.

Ligan initially assessed the first day as “effective” and the “number coding served its purpose” as lesser number of vehicles were seen on the streets compared to last week.

“Within the city, medyo menos-menos na pud. Sa pagkakaron, naghimo ra og simultaneous checkpoints atong kapulisan ug wala na kaayo'y nagbara sa kadalanan,” Ligan said.

Ligan also said that those caught violating the mandatory wearing of facemasks and bringing of quarantine passes automatically fell under the category of disobedience. However, due to humanitarian considerations, the violators were immediately advised to go home.

“Pero katong mga gahi kaayo og ulo nga tarungon og pangutana, courteous na ta, motubag-tubag pa, mao nang kasohan nato’g disobedience,” he added.

Still Exempted

Meanwhile, Labella has clarified that individuals who are exempted under his previous executive order are also exempted from the number coding scheme.

EO No. 64 placed the city under a state of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) effective 12:00 noon of March 28 until 12:00 noon of April 28, “or unless sooner lifted or withdrawn.” Exempted individuals are medical practitioners, frontliners, government officials, and employees of banks, among others.

Labella, thus, said: “Because (sa) iyang exemption, (the) privilege extends to his vehicle.”

"Bisan og karong adlawa odd ra ang makasud, pero ang tag-iya ug ang nagsakay naapil sa exemption bisan og even number ang iyang plate number, makasud gihapon siya,” he explained.

On April 18, Labella issued an executive order establishing a number coding scheme to regulate vehicles in the city during the ECQ period.

Vehicles, including motorcycles, with a plate number or conduction sticker ending with odd numbers or 1,3,5,7,9 are allowed to use public roads, streets, and thoroughfares within the city every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Meanwhile, vehicles, including motorcycles, with a plate number or conduction sticker ending with even numbers or 2,4,6,8 and zero are allowed to use public roads, streets, and thoroughfares within the city every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

No vehicles and motorcycles are allowed to ply every Sunday.

Labella also informed Ligan that the exemptions under such order include authorized shuttles owned, operated or used by Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs), Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPOs), and export-oriented industries that were issued an Authority to Travel by the Office of the Mayor and a special permit by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

However, private vehicles owned by employees of BPOs, KPOs, and export-oriented industries are not part of the exemption and must, therefore, comply with the coding scheme.  JMD (FREEMAN)