The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, requested the City Engineering Office (CEO) in cooperation with the Baguio Arts and Creatives Collection, Inc. (BACCI) to look into the possibility of allowing local artists to paint the pedestrian lanes along Session Road into road murals to help spread road safety awareness.
In a resolution, city legislators stated that painting road murals on the pedestrian lanes along Session Road will help in promoting road safety awareness among the residents and visitors alike; promote the works of local artists who are not only renowned locally but internationally as well, and serve as another attraction along Session Road thereby contributing to the creative city image of the city.
The Council added that Baguio, being earlier declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as the first Creative City in the country, should follow the success of other cities in the world in aggressively promoting the works of art for the benefits of local artists.
Further, the pedestrian lanes along Session Road, being the main thoroughfare of the city, should serve as a venue for the aforesaid endeavour that would significantly advance the interest of artists.
According to the Council, accidents can happen in any place and anytime, especially along public roads, thus, in the country, thousands are either injured or killed due to road accidents every year.
In response, the Council noted that local governments are looking for ways to lower or zero out cases of road crashes to help in efforts to preserve life and limb.
At present, local governments are reportedly prioritizing the strict implementation of jay walking and wearing helmets for motorcycle and bicycle riders to ensure the protection of life and limb in cases of untoward incidents that will transpire along major roads.
In Antipolo City, the council claimed that the local government adopted the practice of painting their pedestrian lanes into road murals along strategic points of the city to promote road safety and prevent pedestrian-related accidents.
Moreover, the body stipulated that the aforesaid road murals encourage motorists to keep their eyes on the road and that signages indicating creative pedestrian lane ahead can be installed at the points of ingress and to Session road for the information of motorists.
Section 5, Article 2 of the Philippine Constitution guarantees that the maintenance of peace and order, the protection of life, liberty, and property, and promotion of the general welfare are essential for the enjoyment by all the people of the blessings of democracy.
Subsequently, Section 14, Article 15 of the same assures that the State shall foster the preservation, enrichment, and dynamic evolution of a Filipino national culture based on the principle of unity, and diversity in a climate of free artistic and intellectual expression.
One of the major programs, projects and activities of the present administration is for an effective and efficient traffic management to help solve the monstrous traffic congestion in various parts of the city daily. By Dexter A. See
