The Head of the Transport and Traffic Management Unit (TTMU) is appealing to commuters and tricycle drivers to give the controversial Municipal Traffic Code a chance ‘to prove its worth’.
TTMU head Mary Gay Quimpo stressed, "her group is reaching out to tricycle drivers and operators to address their complaints on the traffic re-routing scheme and ‘out of line’ scheme as embodied in Municipal Ordinance No. 2005-044."
"Let’s give this Traffic Code a chance because we are definitely putting a better system of traffic control and management to decongest traffic in Kalibo and provide convenience to the riding public," she said.
TTMU, which is responsible for the planning, monitoring and enforcement of traffic laws and regulations, suspended the implementation of the re-routing scheme last May after tricycle drivers complained of a decrease in the driver’s earnings due to limited access to major municipal streets in the town of Kalibo.
Quimpo said, they are keen to enforce the ‘out of line’ scheme by assigning more traffic enforcers through SPO1 Ruel Matorres and the Municipal Auxiliary Police (MAP) near the boundary of Kalibo to monitor tricycle drivers from neighboring towns of Banga and New Washington entering this town to unload and load passengers.
Tricycle drivers violating the "out of line" scheme will be fined P1,000. The public utility vehicles like buses, jeepneys, Filcab vans and multicabs, which are not covered by the scheme since they have franchises granted by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board VI.
Quimpo further clarified the TTMU is allowing tricycle operators and drivers to enter the streets of Kalibo on emergency basis and during the transport of perishable agricultural crops from other towns.
"We are considering this scenario to allow tricycle operators from other towns to unload their family members going to work or to school," Quimpo added.
Local officials of Banga and New Washington also mulled to pursue plans for a joint session with the Sangguniang Bayan of Kalibo to discuss the municipal ordinance and find ways to allow their tricycles to park in designated terminals inside Kalibo.
May 2 was the scheduled full implementation of the ordinance, but this was temporarily shelved to allow the tricycle associations to comply with the color scheme specified in the ordinance.
The Office of the Mayor, Kalibo started the rerouting "dry run" of tricycles on April 1, 2006 despite the inconvenience of the re-routing scheme to tricycle drivers from 16 barangays who were allowed to enter only in designated routes.
Caticlan Port To Boost Local Tourism
The construction of the Caticlan Port in Caticlan, Malay, Aklan by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) will provide the much-needed boost to local tourism and economic development in the island of Panay, according to Governor Carlito S. Marquez.
The P59M port, an ideal jump-off point to Boracay Island, seeks to offer the much-needed impetus to economic development through the promotion of tourism and support to tourism-related industries.
According to Aklan Vice Governor Ronquillo C. Tolentino, the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the PPA and Aklan to manage the port operations for at least five years would benefit the tourism stakeholders in the island of Boracay and its neighboring towns.
"The newly constructed port adjacent to the existing Caticlan jetty port and terminal, one of the major economic enterprises of the province, would enhance port services and facilities to world class standards and would allow a cheaper alternative to entrepreneurs for inter-island travel," Tolentino added.
The construction involves a reinforced concrete pier, a permanent RORO ramp, reclamation work with stair landings, construction of breasting dolphins and the provision of lighting system aside from improvements such as construction of a temporary Roll-on/Roll-off facility for the Strong Republic Nautical Highway. /MP mailto:madyaas_pen@yahoo.com
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