A DAVAO City councilor wants all pedestrian lanes in the city to be clearly painted, following some complaints from jaywalking violators that some lanes can no longer be identified.
Councilor Nilo Abellera Sr. said he is going to formally propose it in the 19th City Council through a resolution requesting the City Engineer's Office (CEO) to conduct an assessment and repainting of all pedestrian lanes in the city.
Abellera said this is on top of the city's strict imposition of the Anti-Jaywalking Ordinance, wherein violators will be fined of P100.
"Very strict ang dakbayan sa pagdakop sa mga violators sa jaywalking, unya ang pedestrian lane dili maklaro (The city has been very strict in the implementation of the anti-jaywalking ordinance, and yet the markings of pedestrian lanes are either slowly fading, or had been totally erased, making it unidentifiable for pedestrians). I think it is unfair," the councilor said.
Based on the record of the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) from September 2017 to December 2019, a total of 64,012 violators were apprehended for illegally crossing the streets.
In January 2020, they apprehended 1,916 violators.
Elsie Ramona, one of those apprehended, said some pedestrian lanes in downtown area are poorly painted, adding confusion to those crossing especially on those with four to six lanes.
Ramona added that the local government should do something about it, as she believed many would be violating the ordinance because of the poorly painted lanes.
CTTMO-Anti Jaywalking Unit head Pineul Fernandez said maintaining the pedestrian lanes on the city streets is the concern of their agency while those on the national roads are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Fernandez said they are repainting these lanes from time to time, and that they are ready to take action whenever there are complaints of unclear pedestrian lanes.
As to the number of violators, he said the numbers have slowly decreased because some Dabawenyos are disciplined enough to identify where to cross.
"Medyo nihinay o mikunhod na ang jaywalkers mahitungod kahibalo na sila kon aha sila mangagi (The number of jaywalkers had slowly decreased from time to time because they know where to cross)," Fernandez said.
Abellera, meanwhile, said he will file a measure in the coming sessions.
