‘Leave your posts and you’re out’

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

 

Stay in your posts if you don’t want a sad Christmas.

This was the warning of Iloilo City Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) chief Jeck Conlu to traffic enforcers as the public riled at monstrous traffic jams in the city in the past three days.

Conlu said he directed enforcers and their supervisors to remain in their assigned areas to manage vehicular traffic.

He admitted that some enforcers would leave their posts for personal reasons, especially to “solicit” Christmas gifts.

“I warned them that if I catch them missing from their assigned areas, they will be suspended or worse, terminated,” Conlu said.

Conlu said PSTMO deploys 140 enforcers for the morning shift and 155 in the afternoon to evening shift.

On Tuesday, Iloilo City was virtually paralyzed due to traffic gridlocks in City Proper, Mandurriao, and Jaro districts as holiday shoppers went to malls and other commercial establishments.

The situation worsened when fuel firm Petron held its two-hour 50 percent promotional sale in its pumping stations around the city.

Conlu said Petron apologized for the inconvenience caused by their promo which was not coordinated with the local government.

The PSTMO chief also apologized for the traffic jams even as he assured that they will do their best to manage vehicular flow in the city during the holidays.