Davao del Sur city taps disaster funds to install traffic lights in accident-prone roads

DIGOS CITY — The city government here will tap P10 million from its disaster trust fund to install a traffic sign system in accident-prone areas in the city.

Mayor Josef Cagas said the move would hopefully reduce the number of road crashes along the city’s diversion road because of lack of a traffic signaling system.

Cagas sought the city disaster risk reduction and management council (CDRRMC) approval for  the release of funds for the purchase of a unit of traffic signaling system during the third quarter meeting on Wednesday, September 25.

He said it was just an initial step to make the city roads safe to both motorists and commuters.

With the amount, a traffic system will be installed at the intersections of Barangay Aplaya and the Davao City to Makar Road that leads to General Santos City.

Gil Gubat, CDRRMC Executive Officer, said a single unit of traffic signaling system equipped with close circuit television monitor would cost about P10 million.

“The money will be sourced out from the CDRRMC’s trust fund from calendar year 2018. Our current balance is P14 million. So we still have a balance of P4 million in our trust fund,” Gubat said.

Cagas said his administration would look for ways and means to ensure the city roads would be safe to motorists and commuters.

“As much as possible we will install a traffic signaling system in all accident-prone intersections within our area of responsibility to reduce vehicular accidents,” Cagas said.

Digos City is still doing a dry-run for the traffic signaling system it has installed along three intersections here.

One of these traffic systems has been installed along an intersection of Rizal Avenue, the busiest thoroughfare that cuts through the heart of the city.

Now converted into a national highway, Rizal Avenue used to be the original road linking Davao City to Makar in General Santos City. But due to traffic congestion, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) had built the Davao to Makar Diversion Road on the eastern side of Digos City to decongest Rizal Avenue. /lzb