The City Council enacted Ordinance No. 5, series of 2017, which provides for the implementation of a truck ban in most parts of the city from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily with the imposition of the corresponding penalties for violators of the newly passed local legislative measure. The expansion of the coverage of the truck ban in the city aims to mitigate the worsening traffic jams around the city during rush hours in almost all national and local roads. Admittedly, there has been an enormous increase in the volume of vehicles plying the streets of the city because of increased vehicle-owning residents and visitors, and the desire of local residents to have convenience in their daily routine.
Aside from the significant increase in the number of motor vehicles plying the various roads around the city, one of the identified causes of the worsening traffic congestions is the lack of discipline of most drivers that result in the complications of the problem beyond the control of the assigned traffic enforcers. Other factors that contribute to the worsening traffic jams are the narrow roads, illegal parking of vehicles in widened portions of roads, encroachments on the road-right-of-way, inadequate parking spaces in numerous business establishments, conversion by business establishments of their allocated parking spaces into commercial areas, among others.
Traffic is everyone’s concern but it seems motor vehicle owners seem not to be mindful of the welfare of others causing traffic jams in most congested roads in the city. The solutions to the city’s traffic problem should not only be lodged with the concerned government agencies and the local government but it should be the concern of every motorist. Concerned government agencies and the local government craft the necessary rules and regulations for motorists to strictly follow to ensure the smooth flow of traffic but if motorists lack the necessary road courtesy and discipline, then we have a serious problem with traffic.
There are local legislative measures on dealing with the situation but these seem to be stop-gap measures that are punitive and aims only to reduce the traffic congestion. It would be helpful in aid of legislation if consultations and public hearings are regularly done to help iron out questionable provisions of proposed ordinances that will translate to the greater welfare of the people in the city. In the enactment of the city’s amended truck ban ordinance, it was evident that the concerned sectors of the city and neighboring localities were not properly consulted on how the ban and the duration the ban will be implemented. When the traffic enforcers started apprehending violators of the new truck ban, truckers bringing perishable goods from the La Trinidad vegetable trading post to Manila and the lowlands passing through the city’s roads started to complain because they did not know of the ban as they were not consulted when the truck ban ordinance was being still deliberated in the local legislative body.
We commend efforts of the concerned local governments to craft measures that would benefit motorists, residents, and visitors, however, such measures should be done in proper consultation with the affected stakeholders. It should not only be done once but there should be constant dialogues and consultations until such time that pressing issues will be effectively and efficiently addressed to the satisfaction of all affected sectors. There is a need to balance the need to adhere to the general welfare clause of the Constitution and the interests of concerned stakeholders to prevent future problems arising from the implementation of measures without citizen participation.
We should be precise in the crafting of measures to avoid waste of the time, effort, and resources of stakeholders and public funds when the sudden introduction of amendments have to be made to respond to the plight of some sectors right at the time when the measures are being implemented. Neophyte legislators should learn to listen to stakeholders and not just stick to the fact that it is for the interest of the people because such actions are obviously in aid of re-election.
We laud the timely intervention of Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan, La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda, La Trinidad police chief Inspector Benson Macli-ing, and the officials of the truckers association in coming together to hammer out timely solutions that would prevent further complaints in the implementation of the new truck ban measure. The timely suspension of the implementation of the ordinance will help the stakeholders to formulate the appropriate solutions to the concerns raised by the truckers whereby they want to beat prescribed timelines in Manila for perishable goods. These perishable goods must reach the market on time or they will rot. The temperate vegetable industry in Benguet and Mountain Province is touted as the largest in the country and many families depend on it. If we are to retain our edge over other producers, we must make sure the hastily legislated measures should not kill the goose that lays the golden egg.
