2 bridges to get CCTV system upgrade

CEBU, Philippines — The closed-circuit television (CCTV) system of the two bridges connecting mainland Cebu and Mactan Island is set to be upgraded.

This after the Mactan-Cebu Bridge Management Board (MCBMB) approved yesterday the proposal upgrading the CCTV cameras installed on the Marcelo Fernan and Mandaue-Mactan bridges.

The Traffic and Security Monitoring System (TSMS), which oversees the bridges’ traffic and security situations, proposed P3.4 million budget for the purchase of four new CCTV cameras, which are capable of capturing license plate numbers of erring motorists, and for the replacement of old devices.

The surveillance cameras and devices are seen to boost the transmission of data and information.

Leo Jim Bacus, system analyst and CCTV operator at TSMS, told reporters that there is a need to improve the existing video surveillance system by buying new units with high resolution and fixing the old ones.

“Ang kaning mga areas like sa taas sa bridge kinahanglan gyud nga maklaro ang mga panghitabo sa taas maong kinahanglan gyud ilisan og high resolution,” he said.

Bacus said the old ones can still be utilized, adding that they will be installed on other locations of the bridges, especially areas that are less significant or low risk to accidents.

The existing CCTV system of the two bridges has already adapted the wireless devices.

The old bridge—Mandaue-Mactan Bridge—has eight CCTVs at the towers (above) and four devises at the deck or anchor (below). On the other hand, the new bridge—Marcelo B. Fernan Bridge—has 11 CCTVs above and six below.

Bacus said the last system update was done in November 2018.

During the discussions, the TSMS officer said the purchase of new units was declared a failure of bidding twice owing to “low budget.”

Only around P1 million was allotted for the purchase, said Bacus.

Also, he said some of the devices being requested are already phased out.

Following the declaration of failure of bidding, Bacus said, the TSMS sat down with the head of the Capitol’s Information Technology department to conduct an evaluation and formulate a proposed system design.

The teams came up with the proposed P3.4 million system upgrade.

The TSMS has a three-man team, including Bacus, operating the 24-7 office located below the new bridge in Barangay Pusok, Lapu-Lapu City, to monitor the traffic and security situations at the bridge and address them directly. — Bonen A. Clarin, CNU Intern KBQ (FREEMAN)