By CESAR JOLITO III
The Valladolid municipal government has rolled out a comprehensive safety and traffic management program along the Valladolid boulevard and night market following the deaths of a roadside vendor and her helper after a fuel tanker truck plowed into their food cart in Barangay Palaka on Sunday, July 5.
Through Executive Order No. 37, signed by Mayor Ricardo Presbitero, Jr. on Monday, July 6, the “Safe Boulevard, Safe Tourism, Safe Livelihood Program” establishes operational guidelines aimed at promoting public safety while supporting tourism and livelihood activities along the coastal area of Barangay Palaka.
The executive order adopts the Valladolid boulevard traffic safety and night market operational action plan, which creates the Valladolid boulevard management and safety task force to oversee the implementation of traffic regulations, public safety measures and night market operations.
Under the order, the task force is tasked with enforcing traffic rules, supervising night market activities, maintaining peace and order, ensuring compliance with health and sanitation standards, conducting safety inspections, coordinating emergency response operations, and submitting regular reports to the mayor.
To improve road safety, the municipality has imposed a 30-kilometer-per-hour speed limit within the boulevard during both regular hours and night market operations.
Police officers, municipal traffic enforcers and barangay tanods will be deployed to enforce traffic regulations, while designated parking areas will be established for private vehicles, motorcycles, tricycles, and public utility vehicles.
Illegal parking will be strictly prohibited.
The night market will operate daily from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Vendors are required to secure permits and proof of environmental compliance before they can conduct business. The municipality also warned that unlicensed vendors will not be allowed to operate.
The Municipal Engineering Office has also been directed to install pedestrian lanes, designated crossing areas, reflective traffic signs, protective barriers, emergency lanes, and other traffic control devices to improve pedestrian safety along the boulevard.
The executive order prohibits overspeeding, reckless driving, drag racing, drunk driving, illegal parking, unauthorized vending, blocking emergency lanes, unsafe electrical connections, and disorderly conduct.
Meanwhile, standby emergency and medical response teams and volunteer rescue groups will be deployed during night market operations.
Presbitero said the initiative seeks to transform Valladolid boulevard into a safe, orderly and welcoming destination that supports both tourism and local livelihoods./CCJ, WDJ