Editorial

No obstruction policy  means good business

IT’s a sigh of relief that streets, especially main thoroughfares, are cleared from obvious obstructions that authorities have to take concrete legal action or remedies against obstructionists. Good directive that the Department of the Interior and Local government gave local government units in cities to initiate road clearings within 60-day operation lest local chief executives face suspension or sanctions. .

Based on news accounts, the cities of Davao, General Santos, and Koronadal have already initiated their road clearing operations against illegal parking, illegal vending, illegal constructions, and illegal use or squatting on public lands, among others. Declogging waterways or canals are included in the clearing operation. 

In Cotabato City, the “Absolute No Parking” ordinance was enforced last August 5 that resulted to improved and smooth traffic flow, thus, giving relief to stress and strain among riders and commuters. We now see improvement in traffic flow along Sinsuat and Quezon Avenues and other busy streets where loading and unloading zones are likewise strictly enforced, hopefully with no favoritism. Time will come when motorists would integrate the driving or motoring norms as embodied in the traffic ordinance and this will be a great achievement in relation to traffic and economic affairs.

Not because one owns a private vehicle that they could use the thoroughfares as they please for their personal parking spaces but to the prejudice of smooth traffic mobility. Street/concrete pavements are for travel or commutation purposes but not at all for private parking use unless there are spaces  for such.

Vending is for livelihood but such enterprise should be properly located and secured so as not to obstruct and congest street shoulders. Spaces are provided for legal vending activities but not the street sides, which are always littered by trash and garbage. Public lands are for public use and not for private purpose unless the productivity redound to public welfare. Waterways or canals are not reservoir of garbage but for its exclusive purpose to prevent floodings.

It takes discipline and sacrifice to comply with ordinances on traffic, vending, and use of other domains. All these regulations are meant to ensure good order in a community where people are at peace with their environments. Good traffic means fine travel, good valuation of time, and facilitative business. Well-placed vending expedites commerce and trade. Proper disposition of garbage is enrichment of sanitation. All of these are good for us, individually and collectively.

Like in our homes, we want our city very orderly in many ways. If at home there are roles to play to make house-keeping that assuring, all of us have also to cooperate to keep streets away from obstruction by complying with ordinances or rules and regulations. Like other growing cities, our very own is also progressing, hence, legal edicts have to govern the norms of the floating population so there will be good order in different transactions. We cannot wait for the development of turtle-paced street customs and traditions as laws or ordinances are quick behavioral adjustments to social-cultural or technological change. And compliance to traffic modalities are part of such change or adjustments to technological alterations.

Absolute no parking and no illegal vending or obstruction  mean “orderly and good flow of traffic.” Be a part of the “Disciplined Brigade.” Full force of the law should prevail… It’s political will at work for public welfare.