Bacolod Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. yesterday denied allegations by transport groups in Bacolod City that he has appointed Bacolod Traffic Authority personnel and officers and deputized traffic enforcers.

The United Negros Drivers and Operators Center , Federation of Bacolod Drivers Association and Action Inc. has submitted a joint letter of inquiry dated Jan. 21, 2008 to the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod questioning the authority of Gamboa to appoint BTAO personnel and to deputize traffic enforcers and other groups.

They also questioned his authority to implement re-routing in Handumanan through a memorandum of agreement.

Gamboa said he has not deputized any traffic enforcer because that authority belongs to the Land Transportation Office.

He said what he only asked from LTO was an exemption from the cancellation of authority to issue Temporary Operator's Permit that was granted by LTO Assistant Secretary Reynaldo Berroya.

“Records will show that I did not appoint a single BTAO personnel,” Gamboa said.

He said the drivers may be questioning the role of Executive Assistant Alex Coloso and acting BTAO head Jessie Quiatchon in the traffic management.

Gamboa said Mayor Evelio Leonardia has directed all executive assistants to help in the traffic management and that he is aware of their additional functions and assignments. Our executive assistants can also perform and be assigned to administrative work in the BTAO, he said.

Gamboa said he has conducted three public hearings in Handumanan to address the recurring problems between the jeepney drivers and operators associations, and the tricycle and trisikad associations.

Gamboa said the problem has been there for a long time so he facilitated a way for the concerned groups to come up with an agreement and his involvement was only to “note” the memorandum of agreement involving the parties concerned.

Meanwhile, the Sangguniang Panlungsod had approved on first reading an ordinance amending Section 1 of City Ordinance 187, Series of 1997, or an ordinance establishing bus terminals, regulating the use of Bacolod City streets and parking spaces by certain motor vehicles.

Proposed by Gamboa, the ordinance states that, after a series of public hearings, it was agreed that the new Northern Terminal will be established in front of the Pepsi Cola plant in Barangay Banago, Bacolod on the land owned by Carlos Balcells within a lot area of 38 hectares, a portion of which shall be actually used and developed.

Gamboa said the experiment to address the traffic problems in the city will continue until the ordinance is approved on third and final reading.*CGS

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