Davao City Councilor Luna Maria Dominique Acosta said on Thursday that preparations for the implementation of the Speed Limit Ordinance are underway and its full implementation is expected to start by 2024.
“Probably by the start of the new year 2024 full implementation of our speed limit ordinance,” the chair of the Committee on Peace and Public Safety said over “Katikaran sa Konseho” of Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Thursday.
Acosta said they are now in a transition period, signages have not been finished and the information drive has not moved much, after these, it is expected that the implementation of the said ordinance will commence.
“Once mahuman ang signages para sa major roadways, I think ma implement na dayon,” she said.
Acosta said the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) is currently working on the technicalities behind the implementation and has already prepared the speed limit signs, and speed limit paints for the road that will help motorists identify what the speed limits are.
“Sauna ang basis sa speed limit is the EO karon naa na gyud tay ordinance and under the ordinance naa tay mga “start” and “end” sa mga speed limits. Mag-adto ka sa isa ka area naay nakabutang nga “start 60” para makabalo ka nga dinha nga area magstart ang speed limit. Ug nakabutang pud sa tumoy kung asa mag “end” ang speed limit. Dili na gyud ka kaingon na wala ka kabalo kay tadtaran gyud ug signages and road signages sa atoang CTTMO in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways,” she added.
Acosta said they are prioritizing the main roads for its implementation as these are the common areas for convergence and where the accidents happen.
“We want to avoid these accidents because of speed limit violations. Dili muhunong sa school zones. We want to make sure na ang mga signages that we will be putting up maklaro sa tanan,” she said.
She added that an educational campaign will be conducted to let all drivers know what the new speed limits are, what areas, and the penalties in case they violate.
Under the new ordinance, from Bunawan up to Lasang, the speed limit is 80 kph for private and public utility vehicles (PUVs) and 50 kph for trucks; from Lacson, Calinan up to the boundary of Buda in Marilog, 50 kph for trucks and 80 kph for private and PUVs; Carabao monument in Toril up to the boundary of Binugao, Sta. Cruz, 50 kph for the trucks and 80 kph for private and PUVs.
The penalties under the said ordinance are P1,000 first offense; P2,000 for the second offense; and for the third offense, P5,000.
Under Executive Order No. 39, the fine for speed limit violation is P500. The EO No. 39 series of 2013 signed by former mayor Rodrigo Duterte, states that there are three speed limits to be followed within the territorial boundaries of Davao City.
The Speed Limit Ordinance in Davao City has been passed and was signed by Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte on August 29, 2023.
