During a recent interview with OpinYon Laguna, the head of the City Engineering Office of San Pedro, Laguna discussed measures on how to mitigate the problem of the “worsening” traffic situation in the city.
Let’s recall that last year, some members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod had raised the alarm on the issue of traffic jams that are now affecting not just the National Highway but also the city’s secondary roads.
When asked by OpinYon Laguna if the city government is considering road-widening along the National Highway, the San Pedro City Engineer said city officials are focusing more on how to strictly implement traffic rules and regulations such as the establishment of permanent bus and jeepney stops.
This move is actually long overdue.
Let’s face it, many of our streets have become a “Wild Wild West” of sorts once again since Covid-19 restrictions were loosened a few months back. Motorists and pedestrians are once again paying no heed to the rules of the road and to their own safety.
Sure, there are infrastructures in place at certain points along the National Highway such as overpasses and designated bus and jeepney stops.
Yet these were treated like mere decorations by people who would rather choose the more convenient way of picking up passengers in the middle of the road or crossing the street, unmindful of the danger, simply because using the overpass could be too inconvenient.
Solving our traffic woes should be a “two-pronged” solution: one, providing additional infrastructure such as permanent transport stops and additional pedestrian overpasses, and two, an intensive information campaign as well as an even stricter implementation of road rules and regulations.
After all, as a timeworn phrase once pointed out,
“Sa ikauunlad ng bayan, disiplina ang kailangan.”