Rama: Moratorium in Ban-Tal area stays

CEBU, Philippines - Although the traffic situation along the Banilad-Talamban highway has greatly improved in the past weeks, Mayor Michael Rama said he will still not suggest lifting the existing moratorium of new development projects in the area.

Rama said he will just wait for the final conclusion and recommendation of the traffic authorities, but even if the City Traffic Operations Management will endorse the lifting of the moratorium implemented in 2007, he will ask them to support it with hard facts.

Rama yesterday directed his secretary to schedule a meeting with CITOM chairman Sylvan “Jack” Jakosalem, City Transportation Office head Rafael Christopher Yap, the businessmen’s representatives in that area and the officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways to discuss with the issue.

The mayor earlier ordered Jakosalem to remove the concrete separators installed in the middle of Gov. Mariano Cuenco Ave. so traffic enforcers can easily make adjustments whenever there is a need to expand the area to one of the lanes.

He observed that in the morning there are more vehicles going to the city from Talamban and other northern Cebu City barangays, while there are only few vehicles from the city going to Talamban.

Rama said after the separators were removed he observed that the traffic situation in the five-kilometer, four-lane Banilad-Talamban highway greatly improved.

“Maka-adjust na man ang mga traffic enforcer nga padak-an nila ang karsada sa pikas lane kon daghan ang moagi nga sakyanan ug minus ra sa pikas nga lane,” Rama explained.

When the Cebu City Council imposed a moratorium of the construction of new development projects within the Banilad to Talamban area its main reason was the traffic congestion problem because the city legislators believed that the construction of more projects such as commercial establishments and subdivisions will worsen the traffic problem.

But the Capitol officials believe that the moratorium was intended only to stop the P1.2 billion Ciudad Project of the province or the construction of commercial establishments in Banilad that used to be occupied by the Cebu International School.

Although Rama really wanted that the land owners within the Banilad-Talamban area to have their right to use of their properties, but he has no intention to convince the members of the City Council to lift the moratorium.

The DPWH officials earlier said one of the solutions of the traffic congestion problem in Banilad-Talamban highway is not only the construction of the P140 million flyover at the corner of Gov. Mariano Cuenco Ave. and A.S. Fortuna St. in Banilad, but the entire road should be widened. (FREEMAN)