Motorcycles back on flyover; CCTO adjusts Oplan BanTal amid clamor

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City reopened the Foodland flyover to motorcycles on Thursday, August 6, barely a day after the full enforcement of Oplan BanTal, as traffic officials adjusted the new discipline zone following public complaints and their own assessment of how the traffic scheme worked on the ground.

The Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) allowed motorcycles to use the flyover in both the northbound and southbound directions starting 8 a.m. That reversed one of the most criticized restrictions under the city’s traffic discipline campaign.

The adjustment came after motorists, particularly motorcycle riders, complained that forcing them to pass beneath the flyover worsened delays and caused confusion during the first day of full enforcement on Wednesday, August 5.

Adjusting Oplan BanTal

CCTO head Raquel Arce maintained that the change did not signal the failure of Oplan BanTal but reflected the city’s willingness to refine the traffic scheme while authorities continued studying its implementation.

“We only adjusted one aspect,” Arce said during an interview on Thursday.

She rejected suggestions that reopening the flyover meant the discipline zone had failed.

“No. Wala na siya [nag-fail]. Usa lang na sa aspeto nga atong gi-adjust… Padayon ang atong discipline zone. Timan-i nga naa pa ta sa punto nga nag-estudyo ta,” she added.

Motorcycle lane

(No. That’s not the case. We only adjusted one aspect… Our discipline zone continues. Remember, we’re still in the stage of studying it.)

Arce said that motorcycles must remain in the designated outermost lane before entering the flyover and immediately return to that lane after exiting.

She warned riders against treating the reopening as permission to weave into the innermost lanes or race with other vehicles.

“We observed motorcycles using the flyover properly, then returning to the outermost lane. What should not happen is for them to continue occupying the innermost lane or race other vehicles,” she said.

Public clamor prompted adjustment

Arce acknowledged that public feedback influenced the city’s decision, although she said CCTO personnel had already observed the same operational concerns on the first day.

“Nadungog nato ang clamor sa publiko… Dili lang kay ang clamor sa publiko, apan nakita usab nato kagahapon,” she said. (We heard the public’s clamor… It wasn’t only because of the public’s complaints; we also saw it ourselves yesterday.)

She said that authorities remained open to revising parts of Oplan BanTal while retaining its overall objective of improving traffic discipline.

“We’re in the process of making Oplan BanTal succeed. There are things we can change, and there are things we need to keep strict until we finalize everything,” Arce said.

Oplan BanTal still under study

Arce stressed that Oplan BanTal remains a work in progress despite Thursday’s policy adjustment.

During Wednesday’s launch of full enforcement, she had already warned that congestion and resistance from motorists were expected as drivers adjusted to the new traffic rules.

“As expected, whenever we introduce changes, people naturally resist them,” she said in an earlier interview.

She noted that the city allotted four to five days for information dissemination before shifting to strict enforcement, although some motorists continued struggling with the new road layout.

On Wednesday, several motorcycle riders told CDN Digital that the designated motorcycle lane remained difficult to use because they shared it with four-wheeled vehicles. They reported being frequently blocked by public utility jeepneys loading and unloading passengers.

Motorists also criticized the prohibition against using the flyover, saying some signs proved difficult to notice and that enforcement appeared inconsistent because no traffic enforcers were stationed on certain approaches.

More than motorcycle violations

Arce said that CCTO personnel issued 115 citation tickets on Wednesday, although these covered all traffic violations recorded along the Banilad-Talamban corridor, not just violations involving the Foodland Flyover.

She said the office had yet to separate the number of apprehensions specifically related to motorcycles entering the flyover before Thursday’s reopening.

Some violators only received warnings instead of citations, she added.

Despite the flyover’s reopening, Arce reminded motorists that the rest of Oplan BanTal remains unchanged.

Rules remain in effect

Motorcycles must continue using the designated outermost lane, while drivers of all vehicles should obey traffic signs, road markings, and traffic enforcers.

She said that motorists could now legally use the flyover because CCTO had already removed the “No Entry” signs before reopening it.

“Tan-aw lang sa signage, basa, ug sundon kung unsay naa.” (Just look at the signs, read them, and follow what they say.)

“If there’s a ‘No Entry’ sign, don’t enter. If there isn’t one, then motorists may proceed,” Arce said.

Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.