ILOILO – Road signs are designed to provide warnings. But how do these signages provide proper caution when they are too small to be readily visible to motorists?
Provincial Board (PB) member June Mondejar of the 2nd District raised this question, saying the number of road accidents in the province has been increasing since last year.
Mondejar, chairman of the PB’s committee
on public order and safety, is pinning part of the blame on lack or shortage of
road safety signs.
“Maglibot kamo agyan ninyo sa karsada may
ara contractor nga wala
pagbutang, may ara man nga
nagabutang pero indi epektibo kapin pa kon gab-i kay ti indi reflectorized,”
a disgruntled Mondejar said.
He cited Iloilo Police Provincial Office’s data showing an average of 10 persons die each month due to vehicular accidents in this province. According to Mondejar, most of the vehicular accidents involved motorcycles but there were also passenger jeepneys, private vehicles and taxis, among others.
To compel erring contractors to strictly enforce road safety measures, Mondejar introduced an ordinance that would require them to install appropriate safety measures in the implementation of road or bridge infrastructure projects.
“We often hear that there are motor and vehicle accidents that happened because of ineffective warning signs. Ang purpose sang ordinance amo nga ma-prevent or minimize ang vehicular accidents sa ginakay-o nga karsada ukon taytay,” said Mondejar.
Under the proposed measure, violators will get a P5,000 fine for the first offense; P5,000 or imprisonment for a period of seven days, or both, for the second offense; and P5, 000 or imprisonment for a period of 15 days, or both, for the third offense.
The Philippine National Police will be assigned to enforce the policy in every municipality and city in the province.
Mondejar’s proposed measure was passed on first reading. The provincial board member will review the results of the committee hearing last December 2019.
He cited Department of Public Works and Highways Order No. 35 in 2015, which directs all of its implementing offices and contractors for “strict compliance to the road works safety and traffic management and construction safety and health requirements during construction and maintenance of roads and bridges./PN
