Commonwealth Avenue eyed as ‘discipline zone’

MANILA, Philippines - A Quezon City councilor filed a proposed resolution urging the city government to declare Commonwealth Avenue as a “discipline zone.”

“Due to its accessibility going to and from nearby localities, (Commonwealth Avenue) is being used by lawless elements as an easy way for transporting contrabands, especially during night time, and for escaping after committing criminal activities,” said second district Councilor Ranulfo Ludovica.

He said by declaring the avenue as a discipline zone, “the law enforcement officers as well as the civilian citizens would be further empowered to go against entrenched and feared malefactors.”

Ludovica noted that the avenue is the largest public highway in the city. He said the thoroughfare, previous dubbed as the “killer highway,” is an accident-prone area due to speeding motor vehicles and undisciplined pedestrians and passengers.

Once approved, the resolution will formally ask Mayor Herbert Bautista to declare the stretch as a discipline zone, and establish an inter-agency task force to implement the measure.

The task force will be headed by the city mayor and vice mayor as chairman and vice chairman, respectively.

It will be composed of the heads of the House of Representatives committee on Metro Manila development and the city council’s committees on public order and safety, climate change adaptation and risk reduction and on transportation.

Other members include the heads or representative of the Quezon City Police District, Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group, Land Transportation Office, and the Metro Manila Development Council.

Also included in the task force are the heads of the city government’s departments of public order and safety and of environment protection and waste management.