Cebu City’s traffic light system not the best – report

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is going to look into the contract with the city’s traffic light system, after the Cebu City Traffic Board rejected the claim of the contractor that the city’s traffic light system here is the most advanced traffic light system in the world.

It was in February that the Cebu City Traffic Management Coordination Committee (CCTMCC) Board first issued a statement conveying its doubt over the city’s latest traffic light system.

Last Tuesday, the CCTMCC Board issued a resolution concerning the P480 million new digital traffic light system installed in 45 sections in the city during the administration of the late Edgardo Labella.

A series of meetings with the contractor and the committee headed by lawyer Rico Rey Francis “Koko” Holganza, along with interviews with CCTO personnel, who are familiar and trained with the SCATS traffic light system, were done to observe and look at the actual operation of the traffic light system in the intersections where these are installed and to come up with its findings.

Their findings showed that despite the fact that this new system has just been installed, a number of malfunctioning traffic lights in the past months have already been experienced.

The SCATS system was found to be quicker, has real-time adaptive capability to the traffic situation in the streets compared to this new system.

“It would seem that the Al (Artificial Intelligence) capability of the new system needs more human intervention for the said system to adapt to real time situations in the field,” read part of the resolution.

The introduction of timers may be helpful to warn motorists on the time left before the light changes, but this does not help much especially during peak hours where a more adaptive traffic light system is needed.

The CCTV cameras installed are more of a security feature rather than one that has a major impact on having an adaptive traffic light system.

A command center for this project had also been constructed at a lot which was previously swapped with the Province of Cebu in the North Reclamation Area and not in the area stipulated in the contract which is along N. Bacalso Avenue.

“Comparing the cost involved in this project vis-à-vis the potential benefits the City of Cebu will get in so far as the main objective of getting a modern and better traffic light system is concerned better than the one it has replaced, this Committee is not convinced that the contracted traffic light system is the best system for Cebu City,” the resolution added.

On mass motion, the committee “outrightly rejects the claim of the contractor that the traffic light system that they are installing in the City of Cebu is the most advanced traffic light system in the world.”

Aside from that, the committee is not convinced that this contracted traffic light system is the better traffic light system than the one it has replaced nor is it the best traffic light system for the City of Cebu considering the cost of this project.

Rama, in an interview with The FREEMAN, said he has yet to read the signed resolution, but said he will look into the contract if it can still be cured.

“Can it be cured? If it cannot be cured, then cancel,” said Rama.

The mayor still has to look at the amount the city government has already paid in advance, if any, and if the value installed so far matches it.

During the visit of Singapore's ambassador to the Philippines Gerard Ho Wei Hong, he told the mayor that, to be Singapore-like, one of the things that should be given special attention to is the city’s traffic system. — GAN (FREEMAN)