• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The “car-free Sundays” in Bacolod City will start on June 9, from 5-9 a.m., at Lacson Street, even as the Sangguniang Panlungsod approved on first reading June 5 the proposed “Car-Free Sundays Ordinance”.
The SP passed a resolution supporting the initiative of Mayor Alfredo Benitez for a temporary road closure for four hours of Lacson Street, from corner Cottage Road to Ramos, BS Aquino Drive, to implement the “car-free Sunday” program in Bacolod this month.
Councilor Celia Matea Flor said she proposed this ordinance so that there will be a permanent policy on car-free Sundays in Bacolod, even as Benitez issued Executive Order 035 dated May 28, on the temporary closure of that stretch known as Lacson Tourism Strip every Sunday of June.
The mayor said all motorized public and private vehicles are restricted from entering the designated car-free zone for four hours, starting at 5 a.m.
“(This is) part of the city’s initiative to protect our environment by promoting good air quality; create greater public awareness on the benefits of walking, jogging, running, and cycling as sustainable ways to travel and to encourage our constituents to move more and be active physically; and engage in age and health appropriate regular exercises,” the EO said.
The Bacolod Traffic Authority Council is also supporting the car-free initiative on June 9, 16, 24, and 30, even as the City Planning and Development Office submitted a diversion plan for public and private vehicles to be affected by the experimental closure of Lacson Street.
The proposed ordinance, co-authored by councilors Em Ang, Simplicia Distrito, Jason Villarosa, Danna Barzo, and Al Victor Espino, meanwhile, said that “reducing vehicular traffic can significantly lower air pollution levels, thereby improving air quality and contributing to a cleaner and healthier environment”.
Creating car-free zones encourages alternative modes of transportation, such as walking and biking, which are environmentally-friendly and help reduce the city’s carbon footprint, the proposal said. “This initiative aligns with the city’s long-term goals of promoting sustainability, enhancing public spaces, and improving the overall quality of life for residents.” | CGC
