NEW TRAFFIC POLICIES SEEN

A transport summit is being planned in Dagupan City to discuss the petition of members of the transport sector to alleviate their plight.

A principal issue involves the proposal to reduce the two “coded” days of public utility jeeps banning the latter from the city’s streets to only one day.

The summit was suggested last Tuesday by Councilor Jose Netu Tamayo upon reading The PUNCH’s story last issue on the appeal of members of the Alliance of United Transport Organization Inc. headed by Benny Aquino.

City Ordinance 1848-2005 set “two-day off” for each public utility vehicle plying the city’s streets based on the license plate number.
 

Operators and drivers claim this represents a big cut in their regular income.

Councilor Karlos Reyna, chairman on infrastructure and public utilities, will head the public   hearing, but the schedule of which has yet to be set after an initial dialogue with the transport sector representatives.

Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez said she supports the petition but clarified that she does not want to preempt the decision of the city council which she leads as the presiding officer.

“I am in favor of the proposal making the double “coding” reduced to single “coding” but as long as the drivers can assume self-regulating measures making them more responsible,” Fernandez said

She said that the drivers can put order in the city’s streets even without being directed by the Public Order and  Safety Office if they choose to observe road discipline,

Fernandez endorsed the holding of the transport summit to be attended by all stakeholders, including businessmen, members of the educational sectors and the riding public.

But she admitted that she is not in favor of the the transport sector’s recommendation seeking the reduction of the penalty for violation of traffic laws.

“Whether the penalty is P1,000, P300 or P100 per violation, it is all the same. It is in the hands of the drivers themselves. If they are disciplined enough, they will not commit the violations and therefore, will not pay any fine,” she said.

The transport sector has proposed that private vehicles be subjected to a one day of “coding”, but this was rejected by Fernandez who felt it is not necessary since Dagupan is just a very small area.

She also stressed that once the Dawel-Pantal-Lucao road is completed and opened, vehicular traffic flow will soon ease up.

Fernandez will propose to transfer some public utility vehicles to ply that new route.—LM

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