The Tagbilaran City Traffic Management Bureau (CTMO) is planning to enlist the aid of barangay tanods (village watchmen) in a bid to mitigate growing congestion in several city roads during rush hours.

According to CTMO supervisor Jeremy Miro, deputizing barangay tanods would improve traffic management amid the local agency’s continued lack of personnel.

The current number of Tagbilaran City traffic enforcers are not enough to man traffic flow in several areas particularly those in the city’s outskirts, said Miro.

Should the initiative be implemented, the village watchmen would be subjected to seminars on traffic management, he added.

The deputized traffic enforcers will also be tasked to direct the parking of motorcycles along streets.

Illegally parked vehicles including motorcycles have already been pinpointed as among causes of road congestion in Tagbilaran City.

According to Miro, the CTMO currently has 70 personnel.

However, he admitted that they are not enough to be deployed in streets outside key areas such as intersections, school zones and roads near malls and other crowded establishments.

For his part, Tagbilaran City administrator Leonides Borja said that City Hall will still have to assess the CTMO’s proposal to deputize barangay tanods as traffic aides.

Although no approval has been made on the initiative, Borja acknowledged that the plan would be a significant step in addressing the CTMO’s lack of manpower. (A. Doydora)