City councilor Jason Gonzales pushes for road pedestrianization of downtown Iloilo, proposing an experiment that will close JM Basa Street for exclusive use of pedestrian during weekends.
Gonzales proposed that the road closure will be initially carried out during Saturday night until Sunday afternoon.
He said the move would favor business groups and pedestrians alike. A vibrant economic activity is expected because people who walk are expected to purchase goods in contrast to those who ride public utility vehicles or private cars, he said.
The people, on the other hand, will have the chance to appreciate the beauty of the rows of heritage buildings along the JM Basa Street.
“Of the 25 heritage structures declared by the city council,18 are at the downtown area,” he cited.
The road pedestrianization is aligned with the Road Revolution Plan of Lawyer Antonio Oposa, an award winning environmentalist, who believed that road should be shared equitably among pedestrians, bicyclists and car owners.
Gonzales, in citing the report of Oposa, said that only two percent of Filipinos have cars and yet they occupy a very big portion of the road.
The councilor explained that in traditional planning, the standard being used to measure success is efficient traffic or convenience to motorists but pedestrians are not considered.(PNA)
