ILOILO City – With the holiday rush now in full swing, traffic authorities warned on Thursday that vehicle congestion in Iloilo City is expected to worsen in the coming days, as a growing number of private cars, shoppers, and holiday travelers pour into major thoroughfares and commercial hubs.
The city’s Traffic and Transportation Management Office (TTMO) head Uldarico Garbanzos said traffic volume has already risen sharply since last week, with key roads — particularly the Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue — showing sustained slowdowns due to increased private vehicle use and risky driving behavior near U-turn slots.
“We already expected this. We began feeling the holiday rush last week because of the significant increase in motorists entering Iloilo City,” Garbanzos said.
He explained that congestion along the Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue is being aggravated by motorists improperly entering U-turn slots, causing vehicles to block one another and disrupt traffic flow.
“We noticed that the slowdown happens at U-turn slots. So now we placed devices and equipment there so that only those who intend to make a turn will enter. This prevents sidestepping and reduces conflict,” Garbanzos said.
With more vehicles anticipated from Friday through the weekend, the TTMO renewed its appeal for motorists to exercise patience and observe traffic rules, citing a rise in road accidents amid the congestion.
“By tomorrow until the weekend, we expect more cars entering the city. We hope motorists practice defensive driving because we have seen accidents. They should follow signages and obey personnel on the ground — do not disregard them. Their instructions are for public safety,” he said.
Garbanzos also urged residents and visitors to temporarily leave their private vehicles at home and use public transportation, backing calls from transport operators to limit unnecessary car trips during the peak holiday season.
“We encourage the public to ride public transport instead of bringing private vehicles into Iloilo City,” Garbanzos said. “If people avoid bringing their own cars, it will help reduce the number of vehicles running along city roads. That alone can ease traffic.”
He warned that the influx of private vehicles creates additional problems, including on-road parking issues and difficulty for public utility vehicles to load and unload passengers.
“When there are too many private vehicles, on-road parking becomes an issue — and loading and unloading of public utility vehicles becomes even more difficult,” Garbanzos said.
The TTMO chief added that heavier traffic forces authorities to deploy more enforcement teams, leading to more apprehensions, disputes, and delays.
“If we need heavy enforcement just to manage traffic, many will be affected — and many will be stopped,” he said.
Garbanzos stressed that shifting to public transportation, even temporarily, remains one of the most effective ways to keep traffic moving during the holidays.
“This is part of easing congestion in the city during the holiday rush,” he said. “We want people to arrive safely and on time. The solution is simple: cooperate, follow traffic instructions, and consider commuting. This is for everyone’s benefit.”/PN
