Manila traffic chief gets mayor’s ire

A peeved Manila Mayor Lito Atienza yesterday warned Manila Traffic Bureau chief Superintendent Roberto dela Rosa of relief for failure to solve the perennial chaotic traffic situation in the city.

In a meeting with the City Hall’s department heads and chiefs of bureaus and offices yesterday, Atienza ordered Dela Rosa to explain within 72 hours why he should not be relieved for the worsening traffic situation in Manila.

Last weekend, Atienza personally experienced the "horrendous’ traffic situations in United Nations Avenue, Lawton, P. Burgos, A. Bonifacio Drive and Divisoria when he made the rounds of Manila’s streets.

The mayor noted that among other problems, the traffic congestion was caused by illegal terminals and illegal vending, while the traffic enforcers merely focused on issuing traffic violation receipts rather than untangling the traffic knot.

At the same time, Atienza personally confiscated the IDs and dismissed on the spot four personnel of the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau (MTPB), which is under Dela Rosa’s control and supervision, after they were caught unmindful of the traffic buildup in their areas of jurisdiction and allowing an illegal FX terminal to operate at the Liwasang Bonifacio.

At the same time, Atienza also warned concerned officials not to allow vending along Juan Luna and Ilaya streets, even on sidewalks, to allow easy access of motorists and shoppers to Divisoria. — Nestor Etolle, Evelyn Macairan