Mansilingan's rerouting ordinance declared invalid
BACOLOD CITY -- Sangguniang Panglungsod Member Dindo Ramos, chair of the Committee on Laws and Ordinances, confirmed recently that the Bacolod City Council unanimously declared invalid the Barangay Ordinance 1, series of 2008 of Mansilingan pertaining to the implementation of the established terminal in the said barangay and likewise regulating the unloading and loading zone.
The declaration was done after the SP Committee on Laws and Committee on Transportation conducted a joint public hearing relative to the complaints and demands raised by the operators and drivers of Mansilingan with regard to the implementation of Barangay Ordinance No. 1, Series of 2008 which resulted to the issuance of traffic citation tickets and apprehension of drivers. Based on the petition letter raised by Jeepney Operators of Mansilingan Incorporated (JOMI) and concerned citizens of Brgy. Mansilingan. the Barangay Ordinance 1, series of 2008 contradicts with the City Ordinance 338, which stated that no routes in the city of Bacolod could be changed or altered by any barangay ordinance.
"It is clear that the barangay has the right to regulate the routes from Brgy. Mansilingan to Central Market and vice versa as long as it will not encroach the City Ordinance No. 338 wherein it cannot utilize the City's streets, and also, it will not disrupt the pertinent rules of Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board,” Ramos added.
Ramos emphasized that all charges and fees collected shall pass through the approval and duly ratified by the Sangguniang Panglungsod of Bacolod. On the case at hand, Ramos disputed that the traffic citation ticket issued at Brgy. Mansilingan were used in violation of the City Ordinance and not the Barangay Ordinance. He also pointed out that the deputized Barangay Tanods were not accompanied by any authorized personnel of the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) and Traffic Management Unit (TMU) in the issuance of the traffic citation tickets or TCT's.
Ramos assured the city council after the passage of the resolution to review further the system of the implementation of the ordinance to resolve the disputes between operators and barangay officials just like what happened in Brgy. Mansilingan. He stressed that no Barangay Ordinance could supersede the the City Ordinance most particularly in the implementation of traffic rules and regulation.