Caloocan gives vendors the ‘orange lanes’ to prevent traffic jams

MANILA, Philippines — The Caloocan City government is implementing specific measures to regulate sidewalk vendors in the city and maintain order in the streets.

In a statement, the city’s Department of Public Safety and Traffic Management (DPSTM) said it would be designating “orange lanes” to mark the areas where sidewalk vendors could do business.

The orange lanes, which have initially been marked on a 450-meter-long stretch of Rizal Avenue Extension near the Light Rail Transit Monumento station, are expected to keep sidewalk vendors in place and off the streets while making sure that that there would be room for pedestrians, too.

“The inner lane [on the sidewalk] will be for pedestrians’ use while the outer lane will be for street vendors,” DPSTM chief Larry Castro said in a statement.

He added that the street vendors would be allowed to do business only from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m.

“Failure to comply with the regulation and the orange lane rule will result in the vendor not being allowed to sell his goods in the area,” Castro said.

Mayor Oscar Malapitan said he expected the orange lanes to help prevent traffic buildups in the city.

“Among the main causes of traffic jams in the area are undisciplined sidewalk vendors and commuters which we hope to address by our orange lane program. This will be strictly implemented by the [DPSTM] which will also regulate the vending time of the street peddlers,” he added.