To strictly implement traffic: City eyes speed guns, tow trucks

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) has planned to purchase two speed guns and one tow truck next year in its drive to strictly implement traffic rules in the city.

CCTO head Ismael Garaygay said his office will test the viability of using speed guns in strictly implementing the speed limit of 40 to 50 kilometers per hour at the South Road Properties (SRP).

“We will pilot test at the SRP first kay usually anhi ang problema sa speed,” he said.

Under the proposed P8.1-billion 2019 Annual Budget, the CCTO proposed P205.5 million.

Part of the proposal of the city’s transportation office is the purchase of one tow truck worth P5 million and P202,395 for two speed guns and decibel meter.

Earlier this year, Mayor Tomas Osmeña has floated the idea of purchasing the speed guns for CCTO to implement the speed limit at SRP where accidents involving vehicles and motorcycles usually take place as they traverse the road over the speed limit.

Councilor Eugenio Gabuya asked Garaygay on the reason why the office is only asking for two speed guns when it can be used city-wide and not only for SRP.

Garaygay explained that the office wants to pilot test the two speed guns for both sides of SRP before purchasing more speed guns for other areas of the city.

As for the tow truck, Garaygay said the city government is not privatizing the services through a private firm.

As of now, he said there are two tow trucks that the city government owns. However, he said only one is working since the other tow truck is still under repair.

Garaygay added his office needs to purchase one tow truck at P5 million to implement the Clamping Ordinance No. 1664 or “An Ordinance amending City Ordinance No. 1642 authorizing the Traffic Enforcers of Cebu City.”

The city government is collecting pay P1,500 for the clamping fee and for illegally parking along the street from every owner of the clamped and towed vehicles. 

Other items under the proposed budget of CCTO include P3 million for reflectorized thermoplastic pavement markings, P4.4 for maintenance of road signs, P2.2 million for the maintenance of traffic lights system, P17 million for miscellaneous traffic management services, among others.

Garaygay said over 70 of the 128 parking aides of the office will be absorbed by a private firm for the privatization of the on-street parking management and collection next year which would mean that the city will be saving under personal services. — GAN (FREEMAN)