Anti-jay walking drive steps up

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) City Administrator Antonio Orendain, Jr. said the anti-jay campaign which started Monday has been gaining success as most people are learning to use the pedestrian lanes when crossing the streets downtown.

Orendain explained that the campaign was not intended to make money for the city government, but to educate the people, especially the young ones, in observing traffic and pedestrian rules and regulations.

He said the anti-jay walking campaign was prescribed in the ordinance, thus there was no need for the city government or the police to inform the public before its implementation.

The city administrator, however, admitted the city government did not religiously implement the ordinance because it was observing that most of the people downtown are using the pedestrian lanes when crossing the streets.

“We observed that at least 80% to 85% of the people downtown are using the pedestrian lanes, so we did not implement the ordinance for so long as there was no immediate need for it. We concentrated on another work,” Orendain explained.

He said an average of 120 violators is apprehended every day since Monday, and most of them are students and transients who were not aware of the anti-jay walking ordinance. “Those who really are from the city observe the jay-walking.”

“We are also doing this so that when people go to big cities like Manila and Cebu they will no longer be apprehended there for jay walking,” Orendain said.

He advanced the information though that the anti-jay walking campaign cannot be sustained because there are other things or work that the police and city personnel will have to do. “So, we are appealing to our people to make it a habit to use the pedestrian lanes with or without apprehension.”

Violators are asked to do community services for at least one hour or pay a fine of P100 each. (Vic Larato) (112814)