Belmonte tackles traffic complaints of QC folk

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has asked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for a Quezon City traffic improvement master plan.

Belmonte told reporters yesterday that he made the request to Director Salvador Pleyto of the DPWH-National Capital Region office and to the head of the two engineering districts in Quezon City because of incessant complaints about the worsening traffic situation in many parts of the city.

He revealed his request after residents of Novaliches and Batasan Hills complained to him about the daily monstrous traffic congestion in their areas.

"There is no simplistic solution to this problem. We probably have to make a combination of approaches," said Belmonte, who is running for Quezon City mayor.

He said roads have to be widened, road obstructions have to be removed, the presence of traffic policemen or enforcers in congested areas must be ensured, and there must be discipline among motorists and even pedestrians.

"We must do things together to tackle this problem," he said.

He noted that the Novaliches and Batasan-Commonwealth areas are among the parts of the city where traffic congestion is getting worse.

In the Manggahan area near Fairview, Belmonte said he would ask the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council to soon finish the big public market it is constructing so that vendors constricting Commonwealth Avenue could be relocated there.

He said he would also ask the council, which is headed by housing czar Michael Defensor, to reduce the stall rental fees.

Many vendors do not want to relocate to the new market because the stall fees are high, he said.

Residents of Fairview, Batasan Hills and neighboring areas complained that vendors occupy two to three lanes of Commonwealth Avenue without being molested by the police, barangay officials and City Hall.

It is an organized racket enjoying protection from high-ranking police and city authorities, they said.