Debate over flyover projects turning personal, Young says

Cebu City Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said he wanted to refrain from commenting on plans for two additional flyovers in the city because the opposition to the projects was becoming a  personal crusade of some quarters.

“This has become an ego thing to some.  You can see in their arguments that it’s not making sense. I don’t think it’s healthy anymore. I know they are hurt and I don’t want to add salt to the wound. There  is a lot of misconception,” the vice mayor said.

While he favors putting up  flyovers to address traffic congestion, he said he is not part of a signature campaign lobbying for it.

Meanwhile, the National Youth Commission (NYC) expressed  support for a  Road Revolution in various localities as a response to climate change.

The NYC supported moves to regulate  the use of  vehicles and revise road systems in urban areas to reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions.

The  Road Revolution, which was piloted in Cebu City last June 12 with a one-day road closure of Osmeña Boulevard, envisions giving priority to  people rather than cars, and to allocate lanes for pedestrians, bikers, a mass transit system and green space.

Road Revolution supporters are also supporting the two-week-old  Stop Cebu Flyover Movement  as part of eco-friendly initiatives for a “liveable” Cebu City.

But Young said while he understands the  grievances over the flyover projects, he wants to look at what’s best for majority of the Cebuanos.

Young said he expects flyovers to address traffic congestion.  He said he didn’t need to sign a petition for it.

Young said he believes that the petition was started by the camp of former Rep. Raul de Mar, whose daughter Rep. Rachel “Cutie” del Mar is pushing for the flyover projects.

Young said the elder Del Mar had mentioned the  signature campaign to support construction of flyovers in the intersections of M. J. Cuenco and General Maxilom Avenues and Gorordo and Archbishop Reyes Avenues.

His daughter said P600 million in national government  funds were available for the projects, which would go to waste if the flyovers are not built.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is against the two new flyovers and wrote President Aquino saying the priority should be road widening and a transportation master plan for Cebu City.

Young also disagreed with Rama’s contention that the timing of the signature campaign done in conjunction with a feeding program in barangay Kinasang-an, Cebu City, was “inappropriate.”

“I doubt if the people were told that this was for their attendance.  They (the anti-flyover movers) are just trying to muddle the issue because their own signature campaign was defeated,” he said. /With Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus