ABSOLUTE NO PARKING. Motorists are warned not to park along the sides of Sinsuat Avenue in Cotabato City before the implementation of the “Absolute No Parking Policy” in the city’s main thoroughfares to ease traffic congestion. The major streets (inset) have been cleared since Monday (Aug. 5) but not with some 200 motorists penalized for violating the new traffic order. (File photo courtesy of Erwin Cabilbigan - DXMY Cotabato)
COTABATO CITY -- The city government here has penalized about 200 motorists for violating the unconditional no parking policy along major thoroughfares that the city traffic management unit started to implement since Monday.
Ret. Colonel Rolen Balquin, city public safety officer, said on top of the monetary penalty, the violators were also given a seminar on traffic rules and regulations that the city has been implementing, especially along Sinsuat and Quezon Avenues here.
“An estimated 5,000 vehicles ply these two major thoroughfares daily,” Balquin said in an interview by a local radio station Thursday.
The “Absolute No Parking Policy” was aimed at ensuring the smooth flow of traffic along the city’s major and commercial thoroughfares.
Among the salient features of the 3-hour long seminar for violators were the orientation on the new traffic code, areas where motorists can park their vehicles, and the no counter-flow and driving without licenses and registration papers penalties imposed by the local government.
“Violators could only claim their driver’s license only after attending the seminar and paying corresponding penalties,” Balquin said.
Charges also apply for a second offense, and for the third offense, licenses may be revoked or suspended for a month, depending on the degree of violations.
Balquin said the implementation of traffic code is in coordination with the Land Transportation Office.
Earlier, Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi has warned motorists that the traffic laws apply to everybody and nobody is exempted. (PNA)
