It is lamentable that most private motorists are relentlessly complaining about severe traffic congestion taking place in almost all city roads in Davao. One fact is that they are the ones who create congestions. This daily grim phenomenon has become a new normal to the residents and vehicle owners, as well as pedestrians. Aside from the central business district, the Ulas-Bangkal-Matina and the entire stretch going to Bankerohan bridge area in the south, Ilang-Panacan stretching to the diversion road and Buhangin commercial center, including Buhangin road down to Bajada in the north, and the vicinities in Ecoland are horribly emaciated by daily road congestions.
Perhaps, it is deplorable indeed since there is the relentless increase in the volume of cars on the road, although they are not primarily the reason of road congestion, guys. Actually, in the other end, it is a good sign that there is an increasing wealth accumulation due to increasing population of middle class families; for example, my neighbor who is a public elementary schoolteacher has bought a new car in spite having a 3-year old car. This means that the local economy is robustly growing and there is high disposable household incomes used for personal consumption. And that is good.
However, one has to re-think before buying a brand new or surplus car at this time when traffic congestion is so hugely daunting. You will not only contribute to road congestion, but also urban air pollution, chasing a road space, opportunity loss, increased parking disorder on city streets, increased consumption of fuel, let alone more road accidents and vehicle friction.
Do we have a choice for decent, safe, clean, affordable, comfortable public transport system for us not to own a private car? Interestingly, the face of urban mass transport system in Davao city is currently in its horrible state. We have decrepit AC (auto-calesa) passenger jeepneys that run on city’s circulatory roads which dates back in the post-WW II period; the diesel-fed second hand engines of Sarao and Sarao-imitation public utility jeepneys that emit black smoke (itom pa sa alkitran) and the danger it pose to passengers accidentally injured by metal rust protruding from anywhere inside the passenger jeepneys (watch your head, please), and their swirling and moving dangerously back and forth; and the ubiquitous motorized tricycle that make sudden movement left and right without compunction. Perhaps the city has to do some upgrading of the city’s urban transport system.
Other causes of daily congestion, which are habitually done by private car owners as well as commercial vehicles such as delivery vans including trucks, are roadside and on-street parking, not to mention double parking. Other utterly ugly phenomenon that also exacerbate congestion are the traffic violations by private motorists, PUJs, UV Express vans, and motorized tricycles unheeded by city traffic enforcers.
Meanwhile, where are the traffic enforcers of the Land Transportation Office (LTO XI) who are supposed to be the lead traffic enforcers on highways (fact is all roads including callejon are considered highway!) as mandated by the age-old and archaic 1964 national transport and traffic law? Well, they are probably watching a good noontime show while their LTO deputized city traffic enforcers (they receive their pay from the city government) are busy ‘ordering’ the roads and streets for them. Of course, perhaps the LTO enforcers are also busy apprehending motorists while they are in their swivel chairs, receiving pictures of violators from the city government-agency Public Safety Office that take pictures through the city government’s installed CCTV cameras as well as city government’s purchased speed guns. That is why LTO XI is generating whooping sums of fees from violators just by sitting down! And mind you guys, the city government don’t’ have any share even a single centavo from LTO collection!
That is why the city government needs to define its urban streets and urban highways through a city ordinance with respect to traffic enforcement. Traffic enforcement was already devolved to local government by Republic Act 7160. So as the confiscation of driver’s license by the city government deputized traffic enforcers. If Makati city has authorized its city deputized traffic enforcers to confiscate driver’s licenses of traffic violators, why can’t Davao city!
To reduce road congestion is everybody’s business which includes pedestrians, motorists, traffic enforcers, and the city government. For pedestrians, take heed of instructional road signs; a driver’s license of a motorist is a privilege and not a right or entitlement, don’t abuse it; for the traffic enforcers, enforce the city traffic ordinance vigorously but sensibly; and for the city authorities, arm your traffic enforcers with appropriate logistics support, policies and ordinances for the fulfillment of their duties. They can generate revenue for the city coffers anyway.
We Davaoeños have only one city – the city of Davao. Let us all be sensible in using our roads and streets. Let us make Davao a livable and sustainable city; this is only what we have and for the generation to come after us. (dpampanga@yahoo.com)
