QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Monday ordered additional traffic enforcers deployed on major and secondary roads to ensure the orderly movement of traffic, especially during heavy downpours.
He instructed Department of Public Order and Safety head Elmo San Diego to make sure that adequate traffic personnel are deployed, particularly in various chokepoints identified by authorities since traffic is usually snail-paced during rainy weather.
He said the city is continually hard-pressed to solve traffic, as several major road networks and metro rail projects being planned and to be implemented by the national government will traverse Quezon City.
These projects included the Metro Manila skyway stage 3, North Luzon Expressway-Circumferential 5 segment 8.2, Visayas Avenue extension, Metro Rail Transit line 7 and Light Rail Transit line 2 expansion.
“It is important that there are traffic enforcers fielded during downpours,” Bautista said.
With additional traffic enforcers and necessary rain gear, San Diego said he sees no reason why QC enforcers should leave their posts despite heavy rains. All enforcers are instructed to stay in their place of assignment even during a heavy downpour.
“They are supposed to direct traffic 24/7,” said San Diego.
He warned that traffic enforcers who vacate their posts during rainy days could face suspension and dismissal.
Traffic is regularly monitored by the DPOS through the Emergency Operations Center, which boasts of an integrated surveillance and emergency response system.
To ensure the city’s secondary roads remain open, San Diego said, the city government will no longer allow road closures for wakes and burials, karaoke sessions, and for barangays livelihood activities and programs to ensure smooth traffic flow, especially along areas which can be used as alternate routes.
