CEBU, Philippines – The Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry is supporting the new traffic scheme the city government has proposed, said its new elected president, pointing out that proper information dissemination is the key for it to be effective.
MCCI President Donato Busa said in an interview on Saturday that the business sector welcomes the new plan to combat the monstrous traffic problem in Mandaue City which, he said, is already seriously affecting business productivity.
"Daghan kaayong businesses ang nangreklamo," he said.
But Busa said of the one-way traffic scheme: "It's a positive note."
According to earlier reports, the Mandaue City government's traffic enforcement group plans to start the 60-day dry run for the one-way road scheme in some of the city's major roads.
The implementation was earlier targeted in August but the city government sees the need to start it earlier so motorists can have more leeway to adjust before the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meetings start next month.
Busa explained the city has been experiencing heavy traffic because of the increasing number of cars coming in and out of the city, plus the numerous road projects being undertaken in several thoroughfares.
He mentioned a study citing that about 385,000 cars pass through the city every day.
"The economy is improving – blame it to economy," the chamber official emphasized. "We're very much concern telling the mayor (Jonas Cortes) how can we do this."
He said Mayor Cortes briefed the business sector and other stakeholders a week ago on the implementation of the one-way traffic.
Busa added that another reason why Mandaue experiences massive traffic jams is its being a gateway for motorists going to Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City and the northern towns.
Motorists have also been complaining of the road and drainage projects being undertaken simultaneously by contractors of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
"All over Mandaue there's construction," Busa said. But for him it's a positive sign, saying the city is getting a lot of budget for road infrastructure projects.
But the businessman also suggested that contractors must be ordered to work faster on road projects in Mandaue City.
Mandaue City received over P1 billion worth of road and drainage projects from the national government this year. The City is also getting another over P1 billion of projects next year.
In addition, the big cargo trucks plying on the roads have also been blamed for the traffic woes amid the city's truck ban.
Earlier, the city government proposed to amend Mandaue's truck ban schedule from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. to 5 p.m.-8 p.m. to match it to that of the cities of Cebu and Lapu-Lapu.