ILOILO City – With around 100 traffic personnel either senior citizens or suffering from existing medical conditions, the city’s Traffic and Transportation Management Office (TTMO) is moving to ease heat exposure by allowing traffic aides to temporarily remove their visibility vests, seek shade and take breaks during the hottest hours of the day.
TTMO head retired Police Colonel Uldarico Garbanzos said the proposed measures aim to protect the health of the city’s 378 traffic aides, who face prolonged exposure to extreme heat while directing vehicles along busy streets.
Under the proposed arrangement, traffic enforcers may remove their visibility vests starting at 9 a.m., after the morning rush hour, as temperatures begin to rise.
The adjustment follows complaints from personnel that the vests add to the discomfort of working under intense sunlight.
“During rush hours, our personnel can be seen on the roads. However, when the heat becomes intense, particularly from noon until around 4 p.m., they should stay in areas where they are not directly exposed to sunlight and spend most of their time under shaded areas,” Garbanzos said.
He emphasized that traffic aides should avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight and remain in shaded areas whenever traffic conditions permit.
The TTMO has also requested additional vitamins and maintenance medications for personnel with existing health conditions.
Office records show that approximately 100 traffic aides are senior citizens or have comorbidities, making them particularly vulnerable to the effects of extreme heat.
Garbanzos also reminded personnel to bring sufficient drinking water to prevent dehydration while performing their duties.
“We strongly remind our personnel to bring drinking water and stay hydrated while on duty. Their health should always be a priority, especially during extremely hot weather,” he said.
Traffic enforcers were likewise advised to take breaks whenever possible, particularly when no immediate traffic concerns require their presence on the road.
“For our personnel, they should always remember to take care of their health while performing their duties. If the heat becomes too intense, they should take a break and stay on the roadside or under a shaded area,” Garbanzos said.
He also appealed for public understanding when traffic aides are not visibly stationed in the middle of intersections during periods of intense heat.
“To the netizens observing our personnel, there may be times when they cannot be seen standing in the middle of the road because they are also avoiding the harmful effects of excessive heat,” he said.
Garbanzos stressed that the adjustments are not intended to weaken traffic enforcement but to safeguard personnel against heat-related health risks while ensuring they remain capable of performing their duties.
The TTMO maintains that protecting its workforce is essential to sustaining effective traffic management across Iloilo City amid extreme weather conditions./PN
