Declaration "a must" for use of fog lights

CEBU, Philippines – With the intensified campaign against sirens and fog lights, a question was raised on whether the use of fog lights is not allowed at the transcentral highway.

The 33-kilometer highway cuts through the mountains to connect Cebu City to Balamban, western Cebu. Opened to motorists in the early 1990s, fog and zero visibility are often experienced at the highway, especially during the rainy season.

With its sharp curves and steep cliffs and cracked portions, the highway has had its share of accidents.

Sr. Supt. Ernesto Agas, head of the Regional Operations and Plans Division of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7, said that an area has to be declared as foggy before drivers are allowed to use fog lights at nights.

So far, Agas said, the transcentral highway or any other area within Central Visayas for that matter, has yet to be declared as such.

Sr. Supt. Erson Digal, director of Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO), said that the highway is not that foggy compared to areas in Baguio and Davao.

Agas added that drivers are directed to secure a permit from the Land Transportation Office 7 if they want to use fog lights.

The topic was discussed in yesterday's Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis forum.

At the forum, the police revealed that the continuous implementation of the ban against sirens and fog lights yielded 727 such devices that were illegally used within Central Visayas in less than a month.

Of the figure, 481 were fog lights, 19 of which were surrendered to the RHPG-7. A total of 230 sirens, 11 blinkers, four horns and a strobe light were also surrendered.

Eight police units under the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 conducted operations in their respective areas of jurisdictions and confiscated the devices.

From July 1 to 27, the police offices of Cebu City, Lapu-lapu City, Mandaue City, Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor and the Regional Highway Patrol Group 7 intensified the campaign in compliance with the national policy to strictly implement the law against the illegal use of these devices.

President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino aired the call against the illegal use of "wang-wangs" during his inaugural speech. The Philippine National Police then launched a nationwide campaign to enforce Presidential Decree 96. (THE FREEMAN)