RTA fails to submit traffic mgt plan

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent

OFFICIALS of the Roads and Traffic Administration has failed to submit its Traffic Management Plan for the past year which has been a requirement for the approval of its operational budget this year.

City councilor Teodulfo Lao, Jr., chairman of the committee on public utilities, said they will be tackling the 2018 city budget when they resume regular session next week.

“Usa ka tuig na kini namo nga gipangayo apan wala nila gi-submit,” he said.

He said failure to submit the traffic management plan will be among the factors of the worsening traffic condition in the city’s urban areas.

“Mao nga worst na gyud kaayo ang traffic,” he added.

Last week, Mayor Oscar Moreno officially named City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Department chief overseer Mario Vener Monsanto as replacement to lawyer Jose Edgardo Uy as the city’s traffic czar.

Monsanto while appointed as the chairman of the Task Force Hapsay Dalan and overseer of the Roads and Traffic Administration, the retired Army colonel will still help in the management of the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Department.

City councilor George Goking, chairman of the committee on ways and means and committee on trade, commerce and industry, concurred Lao’s statement saying the business sector has raised the same complaint and shares the same observation with the worsening traffic condition in the city.

“There should be more one-way traffic scheme imposed specially on business sector area,” Goking said.

Last year during the deliberation of RTA’s budget, RTA head Engr. Nonito Oclarit said they have no comprehensive traffic management master plan.

He said they were still on the process of making a comprehensive traffic management plan that would be good for three to six years.

“Pero hangtud karon wala pa gyud na submit and then we will review their budget this time. The same demand ang among pangayoon. Kung wala gihapon dako kini nga hisgutanan,” Goking added.