The December traffic plan was a clear failure but, with perseverance, the individual trusted by the Bacolod City government to resolve locality’s traffic woes remained on their heels and things had to move on. The following February, Bacolod City Administrator, Atty. John Orola, called on this person and instructed them to undertake the proposed “road marking works.” He then called on the city’s traffic head to coordinate and, by the next morning, the engineering team was sent to assist with road markings.

The city’s traffic authority looked over the road markings and even brought drinks for his workers – he also asked the person appointed to oversee the city’s road and traffic management for some pictures. At the time, Orola had not arrived and, by the time he did, the traffic head was no longer around. The city administrator later called to congratulate them on a job well done.

That afternoon, a basher on social media made comments against the said road markings that are not even worth reading. The city traffic head informed the higher-ups about the matter and (by all suspicions) likely recommended the removal of the markings.

The markings have since been covered by black paint and buried under black asphalt.

The traffic authority never had “a good eye” towards the individual Orola trusted to improve the vehicular flow along city streets. To this day, that person is no longer seen as a “partner on the road.”

After the markings were eliminated, the person who proposed the idea was dismayed and shied away from the city administrator. Although, while Orola made more an effort to mend the partnership between his trusted appointee and the city’s traffic head, the city traffic official said they could not work with the individual.

Orola could say no more.

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This is the second part of a series. Please make sure to read yesterday’s column.

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This column greets Nato and Devi Novero, Jun and Jane Lizares, Philip and Tata Lacson, Richard and Roxanne Oquendo, Bayani and Marides Fernando, Paul and Tala Ang, Boyet and Lyn Ortaliz, Jeff and Thea Divinagracia, and Jerome and Maui dela Cruz./WDJ