By Alyanna Gabas and Yra Suarin
To alleviate vehicle congestion in Dumaguete City, the Traffic Management Office (TMO) wants immediate approval from the City Council for the installation of traffic lights.
According to TMO Officer in Charge Danillo Atillo, discussions regarding the installation of traffic lights have been ongoing since last year.
“For the year 2024, lahat ng mga month, laging pinag-uusapan yung traffic light. So, traffic lights, ang approval diyan ay sa City Council,” he said.
(For the year 2024, every month, the traffic lights are always being discussed. So, the approval for that is with the City Council.)
Moreover, Atillo expressed how the traffic lights can help with vehicles approaching the intersection.
“Dalawa ang duties and function namin. [It] is to direct and control vehicle passing […] from the origin point to the destination. Ngayon, kami lang ang naggawa [ng mga solusyon] sa dalawang problema dito sa daan,” he explained.
(We have two duties and functions. It is to direct and control vehicles passing […] from the origin point to the destination. Now, we are the only ones addressing the two problems here on the road.)
Atillo added that their solutions to the current traffic problem include consistently regulating vehicles and ensuring enforcers are visible at intersections.
Proposed by Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio B. Remollo, the Smart CCTV Traffic Light System Project will target a total of 22 pre-identified intersections.
The system is designed to adopt a demand-based traffic operation using a smart traffic signal controller capable of analyzing real-time data.
Included in the project are four traffic signal controllers, signal heads, pedestrian lights, a control panel, and vehicle detection cameras.
Remollo announced that the city’s proposed traffic light system aims to enhance vehicle flow and ensure public safety throughout the city.
The budget for the locally funded project was submitted to the City Council last Jul. 9 for review and approval.
Local Motorists’ Opinions
The traffic jams in the area affect the daily lives of residents, causing them to be late in work, school, and other activities.
A private vehicle driver criticized the road management system, claiming that actions taken by traffic enforcers often contribute to further delays.
“Traffic enforcers make the traffic worse by making a very busy lane stop and letting another lane move all at once,” he said.
When questioned regarding the proposed traffic light system, he emphasized that it might be ineffective in Dumaguete.
“It probably would be useless since most riders in Dumaguete are stubborn and/or unyielding,” he explained.
He added, “A more strict implementation of traffic laws or rules should be employed along with the use of traffic lights for a more efficient traffic flow.”
A pedicab driver emphasized the number of vehicles as the cause of disorder on the road.
“Gubot na kaayo karsada. Daghan na kaayong sakyanan. Okay raman ang traffic, kana lang gyud 4-wheels, daghan na kaayo,” he said.
(The road is very chaotic. There are already too many vehicles. The traffic is okay, it’s just the 4-wheeled vehicles that are too many.)