A daunting task awaits the new CITOM chairman

All of a sudden, the front page news in most national media outlets is now focused on that P10 billion “Mother of all Scams” wherein dummy foundations or Non-Government Organizations (NGO) allegedly siphoned off the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) a.k.a. pork barrel of some five senators and 23 congressmen. People have already emailed me why I haven't touched on this issue yet. Well, the reason I did not deal with this is due to my suspicions that all this is nothing but the machinations of the Aquino propaganda machinery.

If you looked at the news headlines of our media outlets two weeks ago, it was the highly-embarrassing “sex-for-trade” scandal that has caused a furor with Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Then there's the magical 60%-30%-10% phenomenon that was perpetrated by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the last May 2013 elections, which favored the Liberal Party (60%) United Nationalist Alliance (30%) and 10% for the rest. This digital enigma was discovered by Ateneo Professor Alex Muga, but summarily dismissed by Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes.

Now as Philippine Star columnist Jarius Bondoc wrote last Sunday, the Comelec, through its website, reduced the official number of senatorial votes to 4 million less votes, when the official results was pegged at 20 million votes. Should we allow the Comelec to monkey with elections results? No wonder the Aquino propaganda machinery is in full swing on this P10 billion scam in order to deflect attention away from the Comelec's shenanigans.

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That former Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) Chairman Ruben Almendras was appointed as Chairman of the Cebu City Traffic Operations & Management (CITOM) in a meeting with the Cebu Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc. (CCCI), where Mr. Almendras gave certain solutions to solve the growing traffic problem in Cebu City, was a very welcome news.

Earlier, I was asked by Mayor Michael Rama if I could help him find a name to take on the job in CITOM but no one wanted to be CITOM chairman. I guess it is because of the great pressure from the community to solve one of Cebu City's biggest headaches, especially in these times when the brand new car market has been experiencing a huge 15 percent increase in their sales. In a major city like Cebu, where we have zero junkyards, it only means that we are putting more vehicles on the road.

But the biggest challenge that Chairman Ruben Almendras faces are those same arrogant jeepney drivers who stop anytime and anywhere and run their jeepney at night without any lights. This has always been a perennial problem. But since Mayor Rama agreed with me that under his leadership, he would enforce or implement those small laws, then this is the great task ahead for Ruben Almendras.

Another huge task for CITOM is another perennial problem that the Land Transportation Franchising & Regulatory Board (LTFRB) under Director Ahmed Cuizon never solved - illegally parked jeepney scattered all over our various barangays. I already tasked Ahmed Cuizon early when he accepted his job as LTFRB director and told him that I measure his success if he rids our streets of illegally parked jeepneys.

It is written in their LTFRB franchise that jeepney operators should have garages for their vehicles. But the reality on the ground is, so many jeepneys park indiscriminately even in major thoroughfares like Gorordo Ave. just across the Lahug Elementary school. But alas LTFRB operatives most probably sleep so early, they cannot see these violations.

Then there is always the issue of Cebu City's linkages with the Metro Cebu cities like Mandaue City and Talisay City because whether we like it or not, our public transportation system has to pass these cities before reaching Cebu City. But then, I suggest that Ruben Almendras sit down with Rep. Raul del Mar of the North District who recently refilled his bill dubbed the Metro Cebu Traffic Authority (MCTA). This is the law that will certainly put some kind of order into our traffic management system in the Metro Cebu area. But we have to wait for the coming consultations for MCTA.

Finally, CITOM should change the Sydney Coordinated Automatic Traffic System (SCATS) because it is already outdated and the Australian company that sold it to the City of Cebu has closed its operations. We are proud to call Cebu as the premier city in the south, yet our traffic lighting system stinks. This calls for the purchase of a new traffic system so we can improve our worsening traffic problem. But will the BO-PK members in the city council help fund this new purchase? I certainly hope so! Meanwhile, let me say it here I am all out in full support of our new CITOM chief.

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