Christmas revelers urged 

to avoid toting backpacks

To avoid any inconvenience on their part, the Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) has advised the public against the carrying of backpacks in the city particularly while attending festivities during the Christmas Season.

The police  is all set  to give security for the season starting with the   “Misa de Gallo” that started on Friday ,December 16, 2016.

As usual most of the barangays with churches  will have the Misa de Gallo as early as4 o’clock dawn. 

All of this churches will be provided with police security  in close coordination with the other line enforcement units  to include the respective Tanods in the barangays .

The local police authority prefers  for  the people going to church for the “Misa de Gallo” not to bring with them a “ bag pack” .

As this developed,  the local police authority also appeals the citizenry that there is no threats.

However, everybody must stay vigilant at all times  and report immediately any suspicious persons  in their  areas against any atrocities from lawless elements or terrorist . (Letty M. Militante )

LTO starts its longer 

term drivers licenses

The Land Transportation Office IX has  finally started to implement and issue its Drivers Licences vali for  five (5) years.

These licenses will be have  longer period of use , that is, for five years, instead of the previous liceness that were bali for only three years.

The five years validity of Driver Licenses started last November 13, 2016, according to Chief  Dhang Nurulla of the Licensing Division , LTO -9 regional office.

Earlier , LTO Regional Director Atty. Aminola Abaton  said that the implementation of the five years validity Driver License  did not push through as scheduled  last November 14, 2016  tas this was further deferred to  November 28, 2016 due to some  technical problem.

The five years validity of Driver License will have an additional payment of about P 235.00.

 That ,  from the total payment of P 417.63 it will now be at P 652.63.

There are no new requirements when it comes to the process of renewing the driver licenses other than the additional payment of P 235 only . (Letty M. Militante )

Iturralde tags colorum vehicles

as "culprits" in traffic congestion

Vice Mayor Cesar Itturralde has tagged   "colorum' (unregistered with the LTO) vehicles  as a main contributor to traffic congestion int he city.

Because of this, there is now a strong and strict implementation of the drive to apprehend and  impound colorum vehicles . 

According to Iturralde , there is  a dis-advantage of colorum vehicle particularly when it comes to vehicular accidents considering these colorum vehicles are not registered and has no insurance coverages .

That, in any accidents for that matter, the 3^rd party like the passenger are  ones who will be affected and “kawawa”, Iturralde said .

“There is no Insurance , only as private vehicles ,” Iturralde said referring to those who does not have a franchise .

Iturralde further said that  aside from the colorum vehicles, there is also the problem  on the “ franchising of route” wherein there is no  limitations as to how many PUJ’s will be allowed in a particular route .

“There is no limitations on franchising , “ Iturralde  said referring PUJ’s route .

As this developed, Iturralde said that this will have to confer with the LTFRB – a subject to be discussed  by the Advisory Council . (Letty M. Militante )

City councilors on call" 

for the Christmas Break

The Member of the City Council will stay “on call”  anytime

legislative actions are needed, thus said Vice Mayor Cesar Iturralde .

The City Council  took an early   Christmas break starting last December 13, 2016  and will resume their regular session next year 2017.

“ We are on call anytime legislative action needed,” Iturralde said .

Iturralde said that  the City Council  are ready to convene anytime as needed even they are on Christmas break which means there will be no regular session  amid the yuletide season.

It will be recalled that  the city legislators usually take their Christmas break in December of each year .

But, this does not mean there are not available when it comes to legislative actions .  (Letty M.Militante )

Beng wants add’l trips to avoid 

overloading on holiday rush

•  

City Mayor Beng Climaco has directed shipping vessels to facilitate additional trips to and from the City to prevent overloading especially during the holiday season rush.

“Bien delicao gayot si man beyond capacity. Ta apela quita na maga pasajero, no mas inisisti esta na maga barko. Apela ya lang ta na maga owners to facilitate trips,” Climaco advised.

The chief executive initiated the close watch on all vessels in the City’s port following an incident Sunday afternoon involving the MV Stephanie Marie 1, which has denied departure clearance by the Coast Guard due to loading of passengers beyond its capacity.

With this development, Climaco tasked the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and ship owners to ensure that all vessels comply with laws concerning passenger capacity and maritime safety.

“We call on MARINA and ship owners plying the neighboring islands to ensure compliance of laws on passenger capacity of vessels to prevent sea mishaps,” she said.

The local government, Climaco declared, will not tolerate overloading.

She also called on passengers to cooperate with authorities, and to exercise caution and prudent judgment when travelling back home for the holidays.

On December 18, the Vessel Safety Enforcement Inspection (VSEI) Team of the Coast Guard Station (CGS) Zamboanga issued Enforcement Inspection Apprehension Report (EIAR) and denied departure clearance on MV Stephanie Marie 1, which was scheduled to depart bound for Isabela City, Basilan.

According to the CGS report, the MV Stephanie Marie 1 was carrying 550 excess passengers on board, which was beyond its authorized passenger capacity of 945. The CGS team advised the ship captain to rectify the aforesaid deficiency, but passengers refused to disembark.

After continuous coordination between the CGS and ship owners, and with Mayor Beng Climaco on scene to monitor the situation, the ship owners re-scheduled the voyage for the next day.

Another head count was conducted on December 19, where the CGS team found that there were still 27 excess passengers on board. They were advised to transfer to MV Stephanie Marie 2. (Jasmine Mohammadsali)

City Hall notes success 

in ‘Pick-n-Go’ scheme

The city government has reported a significant success in the two-week implementation of the “Pick-n-Go” traffic scheme for northbound public utility jitneys (PUJs), conceptualized by the traffic division of the Zamboanga City Police Office.

City Administrator Marie Angelique C. Go told the press briefing yesterday that the new scheme was successful in achieving its objectives of—1) providing accessibility to all commuters by reducing the walking distance to the loading bays; and 2) preventing the build-up of standing vehicles in queue on the streets, thus reducing vehicle-pedestrian conflicts.

This, as the northbound operators/transport association has agreed to participate in the implementation of the scheme on an experimental basis which started December 5, 2016.

Go said the dispatchers were successful in ensuring that only one vehicle per barangay is present at the loading bays in the central business district even as she observed that many commuters have grown accustomed to accessing the jeepneys by going to the storage area.

“Nevertheless, the alternative design gives those, who are unable to walk, the choice to wait at the loading bay or to walk the short distance to the storage area,” the city administrator said.

The “Pick-n-Go” scheme was designed to allow the northbound and westbound PUJs to access their old on-street loading bays within the central business district, and could only stay in the designated area for a maximum period of three minutes for the purpose of picking up waiting passengers then go when the time is up, regardless of whether or not the vehicle is fully loaded.

According to Go, along the route within the central business district, there are marked limited loading and pick-up points which drivers and passengers are to strictly observe.

She said the drivers were enjoined not to pick-up or drop off commuters other than at designated areas, and at the loading bays, the dispatcher was placed in charge of managing the commuters and scheduling the vehicle arrival/departure.

Go cited a time study conducted by engineering students of the Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) headed by Engr. Jessica Casimiro , showing that the average travel speed of PUJs for northbound vehicles vary, depending on the time of the day.

The study further showed that the PUJs travel faster in the morning but slow down significantly in the afternoon towards the evening.  Total stop at the intersection comprises 64% of total stop time.

This implies long queues at the approach towards the intersection perhaps due to a longer cycle red time in the signalization. The longer stop time affect the total vehicle speed for the entire route. Future traffic designs can be implemented to target the reduction of stop time at the intersections.-(Vic Larato)

Anti-colorum drive nets

 1, 21 other violations

•  

The first day of the implementation of the anti-colorum campaign netted 1 public utility van and 21 other vehicles for other violations.

As of 4pm Monday, operatives from the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) reported to the City Administrator’s Office that the apprehended van is subject for verification of papers.

Other violations recorded by the LTO and LTFRB included lack of accessories, drivers without license and non-wearing of helmet among others.

Per observation from the implementing agencies, many operators of PUVs and PUJs did not ply their routes while others unloaded their passengers a few kilometers away from the checkpoints where the enforcers were posted.

Trucks deployed by the city government ferried passengers from the west coast, specifically from the Lund Memorial Park in Upper Calarian to the downtown area. From the east coast, the trucks deployed to the Integrated Bus Terminal in Divisoria transported passengers to the city proper.

In the afternoon, the government-owned vehicles ferried passengers to the Ayala area in the west coast and the IBT in the east coast.

Meanwhile, the Community Police Action Center (COMPAC) in City Hall and the Traffic Enforcement Team partially reported 14 confiscated licenses with 4 motorized tricycles, 3 motorcycles, 1 habal-habal and 1 pedicab impounded as of 3pm Monday.

The anti-colorum campaign will continue in the days to come, according to authorities. (Sheila Covarrubias)

Climaco to police: Never 

allow terrorists to thrive

•   

Mayor Beng Climaco has asked police and military authorities to continue fortifying security measures and never allow terrorists the opportunity to conduct lawless activities in the city.

The chief executive issued the strict instructions to the police during a year-end meeting of all police station commanders of the city with City Police Director Col. Luisito Magnaye and Task Force Zamboanga Chief Col. Juvymax Uy at her office the other day.

“We should never allow terrorists the opportunity to conduct terroristic activities in our area of responsibility,” Climaco said as she reaffirmed her commitment to public safety and security.

Both Magnaye and Uy reiterated the tasks and mission of the security forces in the city stressing that they are closely coordinating with each other to ensure the safety and security of the city and its people.

During the meeting, the mayor also distributed checks as incentives or rewards to units that have been successful in their operations the past months. She was assisted by Councilors Cesar Jimenez and Kim Elago.

“Thank God for the continued service with God's grace we will keep ZC safe. I will be supportive of the PNP and TFZ,” the mayor added. (Sheila Covarrubias)

Tanod to control, direct 

traffic pending LTO act

•  

The police clarified yesterday that they are tapping the assistance of barangay officials, particularly the tanod, only to “control and direct” the flow of traffic in their respective areas of responsibility, and not to apprehend violators yet, pending their deputization by the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

Insp. Albert Acorin, chief of traffic division, made the clarification during the traffic orientation with barangay tanod yesterday morning at Centro Latino.

He said the police together with the City Administrator’s Office are studying the possibility of asking LTO to deputize the barangay tanod as traffic enforcers so that they can issue citation tickets and apprehend traffic violators.

In the meantime, Acorin said the tanod will only have to man the flow of traffic and let the police or “blue boys” do the apprehension.

For his part, Chief Insp. Albert Sta. Teresa, deputy station commander and chief for Operations Section of Police Station 11, acknowledged the enormous police powers of barangay officials as they were directly elected by the people.

Sta. Teresa even cited some instances in other places or cities where barangay officials can issue citation tickets and apprehend traffic violators, even as he was hoping that it can be done in the city.

“Por que sila ta pwede, kita no pwede?” Sta. Teresa asked in a statement during an initial meeting with barangay officials Wednesday afternoon.

He said the traffic situation in Zamboanga City has reached a monstrous level, owing to the ever increasing volume of vehicles compounded by the city’s narrow streets, illegal parking of motorcycles, illegal terminals/storage plus the presence of “kulig-lig” or pedicabs and several other factors that include undisciplined drivers.

Wednesday’s and yesterday’s meetings were called by City Administrator Marie Angelique C. Go in a bid to decongest the traffic in the city proper, especially in barangays considered as bottlenecks of traffic congestion.

Deployment of barangay tanod to direct and control traffic in their AORs may start today.

The police identified some of the bottlenecks of traffic during rush hours as follows:

-        Baliwasan (Suterville-Fernandez Road Section) from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

-        Baliwasan (Baliwasan Chico, San Jose Rd near Brgy Hall) from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

-        Baliwasan (Labuan Road-Baliwasan Grande) from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

-        San Jose Gusu (Labuan Rd-Suterville-San Roque) from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

-        San Jose Cawa-Cawa (San Jose Rd-Claret Rd) from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

-        Normal Road-R.T. Lim Blvd (Rotonda) from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

It was agreed that all tanod will wear unified uniforms and ID cards regardless of barangays.

Present in yesterday’s orientation with Insp. Acorin as resource person were the tanod and some chairmen of barangays Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3, Zone 4, Putik, Calarian, Canelar, Baliwasan, Guiwan, Recodo, San Jose Gusu, Cawa-Cawa, San Roque, Sta. Catalina, Sta. Maria, Talon-Talon and Tumaga.-(Vic Larato)