Davao City Councilors believe that the much-hyped survey by Tom Tom Traffic Index (TTI) is exaggerated. Traffic build ups in Davao City, according to them, only happens during peak hours.
This was pointed out by the Councilors following the release of the survey by Tom Tom Traffic Index (TTI) ranking Davao City as the 8th most congested city worldwide, surpassing Metro Manila, which ranked 14th place.
Councilor Conrado Baluran, chairperson of the Committee on Transportation, said on Tuesday that traffic congestion in Davao City is only experienced during peak hours.
“Exaggerated ra tung survey sa TTI. Naa gyud ta’y nakita during peak hours,” Baluran said during the Aprubado sa Konseho media briefing.
Councilor Jesus Joseph Zozobrado, Majority Floor Leader and chairperson of the Committee on Rules, Privileges, Laws, and Ordinance, cited the number of people entering and migrating to Davao City that contributes to the worsening traffic in the city.
“Sentro man gud ta sa Mindanao ug naa tay mga silingan nga gusto mag anhi diri ug naa diri nag negosyo ug naa diri nag eskwela ug naa diri nagtrabaho, so mapuno gyud ta dinhi ug dili nato mapugngan kung unsa kadaghan, fast growing ang Davao City apan ang atong transport system dili kaapas. Ang atong traffic system diri dili na ka cater sa tanan kay continue ang pagsulod sa tao dinhi. Mingdaghan gyud ang nanulod sa Davao,” Zozobrado said.
Zozobrado also mentioned the colorums, overloaded vehicles, truck ban violators, tricycles plying in the downtown area, and even e-bikes with sidecars that contributed to the traffic congestion.
“These things are some of the causes, ginagmay na siya but can contribute to the traffic congestion. We just need to regulate, I am not saying na walaon nang tanan but we have to improve our regulation,” he said.
He also said that law enforcement should step in and step up in regulating these violators.
Zozobrado said addressing the traffic problems in the city is a collaborative effort.
“Tama man na we can all say it’s a problem. Once there is a traffic congestion it’s a problem for everyone. So kitang tanan kinahanglan magtinabangay nga masulbad na. Ang gobyerno duna pay kinahanglan buhaton to improve the situation. Ma-anticipate man gud nato ang peak hours, peak seasons, dapat naa ta’y buhaton niana na sistema na somehow can mitigate the problem regarding the traffic congestion,” he said.
Baluran also expressed optimism that with the completion of the construction of the city’s road networks particularly the Ma-a and Ulas flyovers, these will help address the traffic congestion in Davao City.
“Kining problemaha mahuman ni kung mahuman na ang flyover sa Ulas ug Maa. Kung na okay lang unta sa Ulas, free flowing unta ang dagan dinha, apan makulgot pag abot sa Bangkal kay naa dinha ang junction sa Carlos P. Garcia Highway or Diversion Road, naa dinha gaagi ang daghan na sakyanan, so naa na’y domino effect ug muapekto na sa syudad gyud,” Baluran added.
It can be recalled that the city government of Davao has been implementing since 2019 the Peak Hours Augmentation Bus System (PHABS), which is a bus service system in Davao City that helps not only the riding public but also ease traffic congestion during rush hours.
“The city government executed a scheme or a method like the augmentation buses. Daghan ta gi request na bus companies ug gahatag sa ilaha ug subsidy at the same time naay masakyan ang katong riding in public especially during peak hours,” Zozobrado said.
