Las Piñas City Mayor Imelda Aguilar has called on the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for a moratorium on the issuance of new franchises to buses, UV express and jeepneys plying the Zapote-Alabang route to improve and ease the traffic situation in the city.
Aguilar issued the appeal following reports from the City Traffic Management Office that the road capacity of Zapote-Alabang, the main thoroughfare of the city, can no longer accommodate the present volume of vehicles.
Figures provided by the City Traffic Management Office showed that more than 70,000 vehicles pass through Zapote-Alabang road daily that contributed to the worsening traffic situation.
To address the traffic problem, Aguilar ordered Traffic Police Chief Albert Arevalo to ban and apprehend drivers of colorum buses, UV express and jeepneys along Zapote-Alabang road.
She directed the newly created Task Force Ayos Trapiko to strictly enforce traffic rules and the apprehension of violators such as jay walking, trip cutting, no loading and unloading, traffic obstruction and ban of tricycle on major roads.
"We have to enforce the law and instill discipline among the drivers and commuters to improve the traffic problem in the city, otherwise, traffic situation will just worsen,"Aguilar said.
The City also tapped the Barangay Tanod (watchmen) and clean and green volunteers for the campaign against jay walking to help the traffic enforcers in enforcing rules along the main thoroughfare and inner roads to discipline the erring drivers and commuters.
Aguilar said that while the Friemdship Route in selected private subdivisions as alternate roadway to decongest traffic along Zapote-Alabang Road has been a big help, yet the increasing volume of vehicles remain a problem on traffic.
She added that Task Force Ayos Trapiko, composed of Traffic Management Office, Legal Office, Engineering Department, Planning Department and the City Council is ready to have an audience with LTFRB chairman, Atty. Martin Delgra III, to explain the city's worsening traffic situation in the city.
In addition, the city government will request LTFRB for a copy of the actual list of franchises issued in Las Piñas City, Aguilar said. (END)