BTAC confirms shortage of traffic enforcers
BACOLOD CITY — Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson recently announced that Mayor Evelio Leonardia will release next week the amount of P1.5 million as augmentation fund for the Traffic Enforcement Team deployed in different areas in the City of Bacolod.
This announcement came after it was raised by city residents that some intersections in the city lack traffic personnel from the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO). Sayson who was designated as chairperson of the Bacolod Traffic Authority Council (BTAC) last July 15, 2009 admitted that his office has a lot of things to be settled since the Traffic Council faces budgetary constraints.
“We are short of manpower right now and we expect that the Mayor will release additional funds next week,” Sayson said. He likewise lamented that at present they cannot maximize the traffic enforcers in all intersections considering that to implement the scheme, there must be two to three shifts a day.
Sayson said that they will expedite the release of funds since the city will again celebrate Masskara Festival in October.
Meanwhile, BTAO Head Sr. Inspector Levi Pangue had already submitted to Vice Mayor Sayson the status of all traffic lights in all city’s intersections last week.
Sayson noted that based on the status report, almost 12 traffic lights in the city had trouble and most of them needs minor repair. He assured that after the release of P1.5 million, he will against request the Local Chief Executive for additional budget on the maintenance of traffic lights most specifically the overhauling of the traffic programming since most of this are computer-operated.
Sayson said that aside from this, his office also incurred a problem in the printing of the Citation Ticket which delayed the enforcement of some traffic rules and regulations in the City of Bacolod.