Rama, Citom to tackle BRT, traffic, new city terminals

To prepare for his proposed transport master plan, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama will be meeting with the City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) board to get an update of the city’s traffic situation.

Rama said he will discuss with the board the proposed implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in 2013 and the construction of new terminals in the city.

“I want to check many items with them among others, the (proposed) terminal and where we are now in our traffic management,” he said.

In his proposed 2012 budget, Rama appropriated P50 million for a terminal and another P10 million for a traffic master plan.

Also to be discussed in the meeting is the concern of the Mandaue City drivers who have been barred from entering the streets of Cebu City with the implementation of the terminal ordinance.

Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes said he wanted to meet with Rama to discuss the matter and Rama is also open to a meeting with Cortes.

On the plan to construct new terminals in the city, Rama wanted to put up one in the north entry point like Mabolo and Bulacao or Inayawan in the south.

Meanwhile, Eduardo Geolin, a member of the council of leaders of Nadsu-Piston, wrote Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young to reconsider the banning of Mandaue jeepneys from entering Cebu City.

“We hope that you will give due attention to our request so that we operator-drivers of the affected PUJs will be able to service the riding public especially the workers and students who are our regular passengers,” said Geolin’s letter.

Attached to his Oct. 24 letter to Young are two proposed route for Mandaue City PUJs with route number 21B.

“In the event that our drivers commit a traffic violation, they should be issued with citation tickets instead of a TOP.  Drivers who do not adhere to the citation, would be summoned by Citom through their operators and will be required to pay the fines imposed for their violations,” said the letter.

Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Director Ahmed Cuizon for his part said they are bound by the provisions in the ordinances passed by a city or town council, unless there’s a court decision that prevails on top of that ordinance.

Some franchise holders went to Cuizon to complain on the ban of Mandaue City jeepneys in Cebu City streets.

But he explained that LTFRB cannot act against the ordinances of the local government unit.

With regard to the PUJ drivers and operator’s request to stop 01K and other PUJs from Cebu City from entering the North Bus Terminal and Parkmall in Mandaue City, Cuizon  said it may be favorable but did not comment further as there is a settlement case on the matter with the Ombudsman./With a report from  CORRESPONDENT NORMAN V. MENDOZA