VM Sayson designated as new traffic czar
BACOLOD CITY -- Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson vowed yesterday to fast-track the establishment of the Northbound Terminal to ease out traffic congestion at Lacson-Northdrive Sts. and also the crowded shopping areas.
This statement was issued yesterday by Vice Mayor Sayson after he was designated by Mayor Evelio Leonardia to head the Bacolod Traffic Authority Council.
Sayson disclosed that the city of Bacolod has no existing Northbound Terminal but only private terminal at Shopping area operated by the Ceres Liner.
He emphasized that the Sangguniang Panglungsod had already passed and approved an Ordinance establishing a Northbound Terminal at the boundary of Talisay-Bacolod, but this was not realized until now because the city is looking for a private investor or operator until now.
Sayson appealed yesterday to all interested investors to participate in a bidding process as scheduled provided they were qualified in the guidelines set by the Ordinance.
He explained that it is very burdensome on the part of the city to finance such a huge project and the best way to operate this northbound terminal is for the investor to put up his capital and the city will likewise collect terminal fees.
Earlier, Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia announced that the putting up of northbound terminal will give a major impact on our traffic situation in Bacolod considering the volume of people coming in and out of the city through the north route.
Leonardia said he has designated Vice Mayor Sayson to be directly and officially involved, since traffic is both an executive and legislative concern. He said that Sangguniang Panglungsod Member Wilson Gamboa Jr. as Chairman of the Committee on Transportation will handle the legislative side and Sayson will be his authorized representative to handle the Executive side.
"I'm very confident that, with the direct involvement of Sayson, we can even hasten our traffic policy implementation and this is supposed to make major inroads in traffic so that we can improve our traffic system in Bacolod,” Leonardia said.
Sayson said that after the Mayor has issued an executive order, he will call for a meeting with the different organizations under the Bacolod Traffic Authority Council in order to streamline the traffic operation.