“Does the traffic office really know their job?” asked a golfer who was having coffee with a group. Additionally, an insurance salesman wondered, “Do traffic authorities really know what to do?”
The golfer reminded those gathered that the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, or MMDA, visited Bacolod City to help find methods of resolving traffic problems.
“This would mean then that local traffic authorities do no know what to do－really,” they stated.
“Why did traffic authorities not make the driving public aware of the plans and proposals recommended by the MMDA?” asked an engineer. “For sure, local officials probably did not conform to enforcing what the MMDA suggested to the city government.”
One of those gathered was a lawyer who happens to be friends with Bacolod City Councilor Dindo Ramos.
“We would like to ask Councilor Dindo Ramos to please step in and help the traffic authorities do their job,” they declared.
“One amusing idea by local traffic guys was to convert South Capitol Road, located beside a shopping mall and at the rear of the Provincial Capitol, into a ‘one-street,’” the lawyer added. “If you come from the mall’s parking area and need to go to the Land Transportation Office or Landbank, one has to drive around San Juan Street, then fight traffic at the corner of North Capitol Road and Gatuslao Street－how silly.”
“To add more inefficient enforcers worsens the situation since the enforcers hired by the local government are mostly politically-appointed,” a priest noted. “These enforcers have to apprehend and educate.”
“Is it true some of them were pedicab drivers?” they added.
Meanwhile, a sugar planter cited programs undertaken in other localities.
“In Iloilo City, they have a better traffic management,” they insisted. “The head is not even a policeman but probably has better sense; enforcers are strict and not afraid to apprehend [motorists].”
“No tricycles and pedicabs ply along the main thoroughfares,” the planter added. “Why can this not be done in Bacolod?”

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City Councilor Dindo Ramos, who chairs the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Transportation, better step-up and teach traffic officials to do a better job. Drivers are stubborn and arrogant because they were allowed to operate that way. Discipline is “ningas cogon” with traffic officials, along with some government authorities.

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This column greets Bacolod City Councilor Dindo Ramos, Marikina City first district Rep. Bayani Fernando, Atty. Gaudioso Geduspan, Jane Javellana, Iloilo City Councilor Rommel Duron, Jo-ann Yoshida, Francis Velez, Jonathan Lobaton, Tony Agustin, and Jennylind Cordero /WDJ