Slim manpower hampered the tactical execution of traffic management plan in the city.

City Traffic Management Office (CTMO) Head Tony Samante admitted that their manpower has further slimmed down after the recent dismissal from service of a number of traffic enforcers.

The city government did not hesitate dismissing non-performing traffic enforcers and those found guilty of misconduct.

As of now, the city government is still in the process of hiring new traffic enforcers, according to Samante.

Erring drivers take advantage of the absence of traffic enforcers in some areas, Samante added.

The city government already put in place a number of traffic lights with timer to ensure order in traffic flow.

However, the CTMO still faces challenge in implementing the clamping ordinance.

Many drivers still dared to violate no-parking signs without fear of being penalized.

Tricycles-for-hire continue to block the entrance of malls where they wait for passengers.

Samante admitted that this usually occurs when traffic enforcers are off-duty- -that is after hours.

These erring drivers are just noting on the duty hours of the traffic enforcers, he added.

With the attitude of the drivers in the city, Samante said there is a need to hire enough number of traffic enforcers to outsmart these erring drivers.

This is in addition to complaints against drivers violating the law governing common carriers or public utility vehicles.

Most of the complaints against PUV drivers lodged at the CTMO and city police station are overcharging and refusal to convey.

The city government continues conducting seminars for tricycle-for-hire drivers where these concerns have repeatedly been discussed.

However, violations continued prompting the CTMO to start formulating strategies to get rid of the abusive drivers.

Samante had already warned earlier of strict implementation of traffic rules and regulations.

It has to start though with subjecting traffic enforcers to rigid trainings for them to be effective in running after violators.

The Office of the Mayor also continues to find additional areas to be utilized as parking spaces, considering that lack of parking areas is one of the reasons that vehicles are parked even in no-parking or clamping zones.

The CTMO had also appealed earlier to the Sangguniang Panlungsod to amend the traffic ordinance and segregate the parking zones for motorcycles and the parking zones for four-wheeled vehicles.

Samanted explained that it has to be defined which areas are for motocycles and which are those for four-wheeled vehicles so that vehicles can properly parked without distracting traffic flow.

Monitoring these areas will also entail hiring of additional traffic enforcers to ensure public obedience until the public would have inculcated discipline in themselves.