Council OKs proposal to hire 70 enforcers

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has approved the project proposal of the City Traffic Operations Management to hire 70 job orders as additional traffic enforcers.

However, the council deferred the approval of almost P3.7 million budget allocated for the salary of the JOs.

City Councilor Margarita Osmeña questioned the P400 a day allocation for each JO because the amount is bigger than the salary of the casual employees.

Councilor Gerardo Carillo, who sponsored the request of CITOM, said the proposed salary is just enough to reciprocate the nature of work of the enforcers prompting Osmeña to eventually give in.

She, however, clarified that it should be for a specific project only.

Carillo, who also chairs the committee on traffic management, said the hiring of the JOs will only be good for six months. Based on the recommendations of CITOM, some JOs will fill in those areas like minor and major intersections which do not have traffic lights, some will help in the implementation of “No U” turn and “NO Left/Right” turn traffic lights, among others.

Carillo said there has been a need for additional personnel because of the increase in number of vehicles in the city.

“The increasing number of vehicles in the city versus the corresponding number of traffic enforcers, result in inefficient long working hours resulting in missed break times and vacations of existing personnel leading to demoralization,” Carillo said.

Carillo said some JOs will also be deployed to accommodate the traffic situation at the Banilad-Talamban area.

“JOS will man sa grabe nga traffic in Ban-Tal such as in front of Country Mall, A.S Fortuna Street, among others,” he said, adding that JOs will be there until the traffic in the areas will be normalized.

Osmeña said that the JOs should not go beyond December this year because the allocated budget will be different.

The council has agreed that the JOs should start this month and would conclude by the end of the year. (FREEMAN)