LU SP, National Agencies Lead Monitoring of Road Ordinances
By: Jiroh Joy D. Marbella | Photo By: Sonny Buenaventura, PIO | Date: December 3, 2020
The KALSADA Group, which was organized primarily to monitor and check on the conditions of La Union roads based on national and local ordinances and spearheaded by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Chairperson of the Committee on Public Works and Utilities, Board Member Annabelle S. de Guzman conducted an ocular visit of the roads (national, provincial and barangay roads) and monitored the implementation of various road and other related ordinances on December 3, 2020.
Monitored were implementation of the SP Ordinances 239 and 230-2020, particularly the Road Warning Safety Devices Ordinance and the Anti-Road Obstructions Ordinances.
From 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM, the group visited the Local Government Units of City of San Fernando, San Juan, Bacnotan, Balaoan, Bangar and Sudipen for the first district and Bauang, Caba, Aringay and Agoo for the second district. As per data from La Union Police Provincial Office, a total of 67 violators were ticketed using the provincial violation ordinance receipt and one violator was ticketed using the municipal citation ticket. There were also motorcycle riders who were not using the high visibility vest (SP Ordinance 132-2018) that were apprehended during the said activity.
The group that conducted a brief focused group discussion based on the observations, national highways covering the respective jurisdiction of the police station concerned did not have so much road obstructions; provincial, municipal and barangay roads, there were numeorus violators and motorists as well as business owners who were generally unaware of the said ordinances; and unsustained level of commitment and consistency by enforcers as to the implementation or enforcement of the said ordinances. These, according to the group, greatly affected the very purpose and objectives of the said local policies.
Board Member De Guzman committed that the group will conduct a monthly monitoring activity on the enforcement of provincial ordinances that are related to road safety as well as the safety of motorists with hopes that every police station will devise strategies on properly communicating the said policies to people within their area of jurisdiction aside from that of the LGUs.
Said ordinances were enacted on the basis of the presidential directive to clear all public roads from obstructions through Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circulars 121-2019; 027-2020 and 145-2020.
Present during the said activity were La Union Police Provincial Office headed by PCol. Jay R Cumigad; two district engineers of the first and second engineering district offices Engr. Roberto Garcia, Asst. District Engineer and Gil Lorenzo together with Engr. Jaymark Kuan; Department of Education La Union Schools Division Superintendent, Atty. Donato Balderas; DILG Representative, Ariel Zamoranos; Land Transportation Office Representatives, Arnulfo Corpuz and Joel Badua; La Union Electric Company Representatives Richelle Fernandez and Reden Lapitan; SP Secretary Donato Rimando and Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator Representative Venido Alcantara, as well Chiefs of Police of each of the LGUs visited.
