Prioritize traffic lights: Citom

Traffic body chief Yap says City needs to upgrade if it wants to bid for Apec 2016, host Pope

TRAFFIC lights, not decorative lampposts.

This was the plea of Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) Executive Director Rafael Yap as the City is preparing for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit and the International Eucharistic Congress in the coming years.

He took a dig at the lampposts bought for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in 2007. They were subjects of an anti-graft case for alleged overpricing.

After the summit, the lampposts were untended and were pilfered by thieves.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has since ordered the lampposts in Cebu City taken down.

“We want new traffic light systems before 2016. If we have to leverage a lot of money to bid for Apec, we might as well do so for projects that would go beyond the event and not decorative lampposts,” Yap told reporters in a press briefing.

One of the main roles of Citom is to provide modern traffic facilities in the City.

Cebu City is the earliest local government unit in the country to have used the Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System (Scats), but the system also needs to be maintained and upgraded.

Some of the city’s traffic lights are busted.

“I can’t be effective unless I’m given the tools,” said Yap, referring to the support of the Council on Citom’s programs as he submits his proposed budget for 2014.

Support

Yap will have plenty of help as Rama announced the appointment of former Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) General Manager Ruben Almendras as the new chairman of the Citom board.

Almendras is expected to preside over his first Citom board meeting on Wednesday. He will be replacing former councilor Sylvan Jakosalem who resigned last year as he filed his certificate of candidacy to run for councilor of the City’s north district.

Among the tools that Citom hopes to finally buy next year are tow trucks and speed guns.

The speed guns are useful in accident-prone South Road Properties (SRP) where motorists are prone to go over the speed limit.

Big events

Yap said traffic management is important as Cebu City makes a bid to host the Apec Summit in 2015.

United States President Barack Obama is expected to attend the summit.

Cebu City is also the likely host of the International Eucharistic Congress in 2016 when Pope Francis is expected to visit.

Citom will also conduct a sidewalk inventory as the City promotes biking and walking. The office wants sidewalks to be safe for pedestrians, especially for vulnerable ones, like senior citizens.

The office will check the appropriate size of the sidewalk and if there are obstructions.

So far, this year, Citom already earned close to P30 million in revenues.

Last year, Citom earned a total of close to P65 million.

The revenue’s office has steadily increased over the years. In 2011, Citom earned over P60 million and just P53.5 million in 2010.

Most of the earnings come from parking fees.

This year, Citom already earned P18 million in parking fees. The office also earned P8.5 million in administrative penalties.