City Council OKs creation of traffic management office

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) has been stripped of its traffic management function after the Iloilo City Council approved an ordinance creating the Traffic Transportation Management Office (TTMO).

The ordinance approved on Wednesday, July 3, also renamed PSTMO to Public Order and Safety Management Office (POSMO).

“It appears that the expansion of the city is continuous and comes with the activity and movement of our people. We see that this growth is already a significant responsibility for just one office. It would be better if we create a TTMO whose primary function will be traffic management,” said Councilor Rex Sarabia, principal author of the ordinance.

Sarabia explained that the city’s expansion and development have quickly outgrown the logistical and managerial capabilities of PSTMO, as a single office, in handling the evolving and scaling problem of traffic management of the city.

He also stressed that the merger of two separate mandates of Public Safety and Transportation Management in one office has now become infeasible, which necessitates the creation of the TTMO.

Under the ordinance, TTMO will be the primary body responsible for the implementation of all traffic and transportation laws, regulations and ordinances.

It is also tasked to gather, store and maintain all traffic and transportation related data for the immediate consumption and analysis of the city government.

The TTMO also has the power to establish short-term and long-term strategic road maps to provide direction and basis for the proactive measures to ensure the healthy traffic capacity, security, safety and reliability of the city’s transport system.

Sarabia said TTMO will consist of a legal and investigation section and two administrative units — administrative and operations.

Retired Police Colonel Uldarico Garbanzos will serve as officer-in-charge until the city mayor appoints a new head.

Meanwhile, the public safety aspect of the former PSTMO will remain in effect, with Jeck Conlu continuing as its head.

The creation of the PSTMO in 2017 consolidated several functions and offices such as transportation management and traffic regulation office, task force anti-squatting and illegal structures, special services office, and police auxiliaries.