Environment, people friendly road system urged

CEBU, Philippines - The Global Legal Action on Climate Change, headed by known legal environmental advocates, recently sent a proposal to Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and the City Council on the “revising and revolutionizing of an environmentally sustainable transportation system.”

A move, which according to Engr. Nigel Paul Villarete of the City Planning and Development Office, is already well taken in the Bus Rapid Transport System patterned after Bogota, Colombia.

“From being a wasteful car-based transportation system, may we request that the road system follow the simple principle that those who have less in wheels must have more in roads,” this according to the environmental group.

One of the suggestions was the closure of half of the lanes of the main roads from vehicular traffic and the transformation into a set of multi-modal locomotion lanes.

One lane of at least four meters in width which is now being used as road or private parking lot, they said, must be converted into a child-friendly sidewalk. The next lane, about three meters wide, must be devoted for bicycles and the third lane must be devoted for a mini train. The proposal is being submitted as a people’s initiative which is allowed under the Local Government Code.

The group also requests City Hall to update its members on the compliance of environmental provisions such as the requiring of tricycles to comply with the Clean Air Act Standards, and the use of clean technologies such as natural gas and direct fuel injection.

The group also would want to be updated on the recent initiative of the city government if such is in consonance with environmental laws.

“May we also inquire what projects your good department has undertaken to address the ever-worsening problem of air pollution. Of course, as you know too well, the air pollution from motor vehicles is the result of the wrong model of transport system,” the group’s request read.

The People’s Initiative proposal was signed by several Cebu City residents and noted by lawyers Benjamin Cabrido, Gloria Estenzo-Ramos, Ethelbert Ouano and Rod Francis Bagaslao. — Ferliza C. Contratista/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)