Officers of the Dumaguete City Traffic Management Office (DCTMO) will concentrate on apprehending motorists violating traffic rules once the installation of the city’s hi-tech traffic light system at major junctions has been completed.
City Management Office head Danny Atillo said the city’s traffic light systems would relieve traffic enforcers from their duties in directing the flow of vehicles and pedestrians on major streets and would enable them to go after violators of traffic regulations.
“It’s not true that traffic enforcers will no longer have to work. Actually, it will increase because we will be apprehending traffic violators because there is now a device controlling the intersections and these are the traffic lights,” Atillo said.
Atillo, together with other city officials, observed the activation and pilot testing of the city’s first traffic lights at the intersection of E-Rovira to Leopoldo Rovira East Drive in Barangay Bantayan on February 17, 2025.
The City Public Information Office said the traffic light city project was funded by the Department of Transportation through the Land Transportation Office Traffic Management Mentorship Program (TMMAP) Component B Traffic Signalization and Installation of Systems.
The traffic light system was composed of four traffic signal controllers and signal heads, pedestrian lights, traffic control panels and vehicle detection cameras that can detect both stationary and moving vehicles.
The city government also appropriated P22 million for the installation of traffic lights.
The city government plans to install additional traffic lights in 20 other locations in the city.
Fifteen of which will be put in the downtown area and five along Dumaguete Diversion Road.
Once all the traffic lights have been installed in their location, all cameras will be connected to a monitoring room inside the city hall.
Atillo said the city government conducted the testing of the traffic lights in the area because of its proximity to North Point Area, which is a hub for local restaurants and casual diners, and to St. Paul University Dumaguete.
Because of this, many vehicles pass through this area, especially in the afternoon and at night.
In view of this, the DCTMO will intensify its education campaign on adherence to traffic rules and regulations to motorists and traffic lights, especially since Dumagueteños are not yet used to having traffic lights around the city.
“We will intensify the enforcement of our traffic regulations for our motorists. We urge them to adhere to one-way signs, avoid parking along sidewalks, among others, to avoid getting citation tickets, especially now that we have started the installation of our traffic lights. We will educate them to observe these rules thoroughly,” Atillo said. (PIA-7 Negros Oriental)