TACLOBAN CITY – Traffic problem at downtown area during rush hours will remain one of the top priorities by the city planning and development office.

Roland Hidalgo, chief of same office, said he was a little bit surprised why Mayor “Bejo” Romualdez has terminated 10 out of the 41 traffic volunteers leaving only 30 to help policemen in maintaining the flow of traffic at the downtown area.

Hidalgo disclosed that he will request Mayor Romualdez to let these volunteers return to work so that they could be deployed in areas where traffic congestion has been observed.

He identified some places in the city to be prone to accident such as in Apitong-diversion road and in Tigbao-Di-it area where barangay officials and residents have been demanding the presence of traffic volunteers or policemen who man the flow of traffic.

“The city mayor should know the problematic congestion of traffic, which really needs enough number of traffic volunteers and the termination of 10 volunteers could just add to the problem,” Hidalgo said.

After the controversial purchase of the multi-million traffic lights during the time of Acting City Mayor Edwin Chua, the contractor which installed the traffic lights filed the criminal and civil case against the city government for rescinding the contra ct which is now pending for litigation before the Regional Trial Court.

With this controversy, the city government has set aside the installation of traffic lights pending resolution of the case which could have help reduce traffic personnel.

Hidalgo admitted that the number of traffic volunteers now assigned in the downtown area is not enough to effectively maintain the flow of traffic with the continued increase of the number of vehicles coming in and out of the city.

It has been the priority of the city government of Mayor Romualdez to purchase imported high grade technology traffic lights to be installed in the city main thoroughfares.