This column looks at how motorists react to the expertise of Bacolod City traffic authorities in their handling of the roads during the Christmas season. In previous years, their experiments were implemented for less than a day before being scrapped. In road management, there are no such things as experiments—before a plan is put to the test, it must be the final strategy.
In the earlier 1990s, I was an active member of the Bacolod Traffic Study Group, alongside former Vice Mayor Wilmar Drilon; Alex Navarra of City Planning and Development Office; Norman Saril of the Land Transportation Office (LTO); former Vice Mayor Ramiro Garcia; and Executive Assistant Joemarie Vargas, who currently heads the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office cluster.
During that time, there was no Bacolod Traffic Authority Office.
When we used the word “experiment,” it was merely technical terminology; and those “experiments” were late permanently utilized—what drivers see as advantages on the roads today are the result of the traffic study group. Our vision was not just for the season but for future decades.
Such a history allows me to provide a mature evaluation of the current situation. In addition, mature traffic management should not be persuaded business motivations of politics, which is what made the study group so successful.
The experiment of having southbound jeepneys redirected through the Provincial Capitol ended with no word on its effectiveness. City traffic authorities were not heard from on the matter. For me, it should be continued but limited to two tours: Punta Taytay and Singcang-Airport; the rest should maintain their original routes.
If traffic authorities have no vision, then suspicions the plan was allegedly concocted by a certain shopping mall (and later blocked by another) will remain in the minds of motorists.
Additionally, local motorists are also waiting on the results of the evaluation by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, who were invited to “help” with the local traffic situation.
Motorists are also appealing to Bacolod City Councilor Dindo Ramos, who chairs the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Transportation, to resolve the issue of South Capitol Road being converted into a one-way road.
This is a blunder—believe me.
While North Capitol Road remains a nightmare during rush hour, why close the South Capitol Road to two-way traffic? Driving from the Bredco Port along San Juan Street, drivers must pass North Capitol Road to visit the LTO, the nearby Landbank branch, or the Social Security System office, which congests the area.
Again, this situation has given rise to malicious conspiracies surrounding a possible influence by local businesses.

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This column greets Chick Garcia, Reuben Tampos, Jomarie Vargas, Rodel Parcon, Jerry Sy, Pastor Emilio Henares, Mimir Guanco, Johnny Dubouzet, Virgie Minez, Bobby Tan, and Ben Lopez, Jr. /WDJ