MAYOR SETS TRAFFIC EXPERIMENT ON SENIORS’ EXEMPTION FROM CODING FOR AUG. 19
BAGUIO CITY – The traffic scheme exempting senior citizens from the number coding scheme will begin its experimental run on Aug. 19, 2024, according to Mayor Benjamin Magalong.
The traffic experiment which will run for two to three months aims to determine the impact of the exemption as contained in an ordinance approved by the city council recently.
The mayor said he was constrained to veto the ordinance but it does not mean that he is abandoning or objecting to the measure.
“We just need time to implement a proper traffic impact study like this traffic experiment to gather data to determine its effect on our overall traffic situation,” he said.
Ordinance No. 40, series of 2024 sought to exempt motor vehicles transporting senior citizens who are residents of the city, either as drivers or passengers, to and from a medical clinic, hospital, or place of work from the city’s number coding scheme was approved by the city council recently.
The mayor was constrained to veto the ordinance to avoid technicality as to its implementation.
He noted the challenges to be faced if it is implemented without proper study and data like how many senior citizens possess vehicles and how it will affect the traffic flow, especially with the opening of classes.
In his veto message transmitted to the City Council, the mayor appreciated the initiative of the city council in incorporating respect and incentives for the senior citizens who are constituents of the city as they deserve the courtesy in light of their many contributions to society.
Under the approved ordinance, in order to be exempted from the provisions of the number coding scheme, the motor vehicle must be used by a senior citizen who is a resident of the city.
However, he said that the said provision might be discriminatory to other senior citizens who may not be residents of the city but who traverse through the roads on a daily or regular basis for essential and urgent purposes.
Further, he said that the city’s health care facilities cater to patients who are not residents of the city or who live in localities where specialized patient care is not available and that there may also be emergency situation where the nearest adequate health facility is found in the city,
Thus, the same is applied to places of work since the city is a business and education hub that employs senior citizens who are residents of neighboring localities.
The ordinance provided that the exemptions are applied only when the vehicle is used to transport the senior citizens to and from a medical clinic, hospital, or place of work but it is salient on what proof must be presented in order to establish that the senior citizens driving or riding the vehicle is truly en route to a medical appointment or work.
For example, a senior citizen may be self-employed, and in such cases, the person may not be able to present an employment identification card.
Moreover, he pointed out that in other cases, clinics cater to walk-in patients who do need not to set an appointment, thus, it would redound to the discretion of the enforcer to determine what can be considered as adequate proof that the senior citizen driver or passenger is traveling for medical purposes.
He said that because of the varying situations, the implementation of the ordinance may be prone to confusion or arbitrary application, thus, there would be a necessity for enforcers to make inquiries to ascertain whether the exemption may be applied to an apprehended vehicle.
He asserted that the inquiry need not be long but any time spent idle along a busy road will cause additional traffic and may present a safety hazard for the vehicle passengers as well as the enforcers.
He urged the body to refer the ordinance to the implementing offices for the conduct of the proper traffic impact study and seek recommendations for its judicious implementation. # Aileen P. Refuerzo/ Dexter A. See
