LTO, MMDA, LGUs lay down All Saints’ Day preparations

THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) ordered its district offices head and regional directors nationwide to ensure the safety of public utility passengers and private motorist on All Saints’ Day by giving road-safety tips and public assistance.

LTO chief Virginia Torres on Thursday required her regional directors and heads of agencies, including its 400 lady enforcers, nationwide to work out a road-safety campaign in order to prevent major accidents this long weekend.  

Torres said only public assistance and providing road-safety tips would be the agency’s primarily task from October 30 to November 2, instead of its regular mandate of going after colorum vehicles and traffic violators.

Torres also reminded the motorists to make sure that their vehicle is road-worthy and must remember the “Blowbag” tips, which stand for break, lights, oil, water, battery, air and gas.

“We all know that one of the primary reasons of many vehicular accidents is the undisciplined drivers who tend to flare up for very slight reasons, so we are asking the cooperation of their groups so that their respective leadership can also admonish them on the importance of road safety,” Torres said.

LTO NCR director Camilo Guarin have inspected the bus terminals in Quezon City to give aid to bus passengers as part of their campaign on road safety.

Metro security beefed up

THE chief of the National Capitol Region Police Office, PC Supt. Nicanor Bartolome, on Thursday ordered all district directors, chiefs of pand station commanders to beef up their security operations to ensure a safe and orderly observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

Bartolome said the PNP will remain on full alert starting October 30 as part of “Oplan Kaluluwa,” PNP’s annual security plan for Undas.

The Metro Manila police will maximize the deployment of uniformed personnel to key areas in the Metro during undas. Mobile- patrol cars will also be put on standby, and police assistance desks will be established in the cemeteries during this period.

Bartolome also issued guidelines for the coming All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day to the public: “Bringing deadly weapons, liquor and gambling paraphernalia are prohibited, as well as the playing of loud music in the cemeteries.”

MMDA deploys enforcers

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said 1,800 traffic enforcers will be deployed starting Friday, October 29, to man traffic in all major thoroughfares and secondary roads leading to public cemeteries and private memorial parks. 

MMDA Traffic and Transport Management Office Director Emerson Carlos said most enforcers will man the roads leading to major cemeteries and provincial bus terminals to ensure the safety of motorists, commuters and pedestrians trekking to the suburbs and provinces to honor their dead.

Carlos was designated MMDA officer in charge as Chairman Francis Tolentino is attending the 1st Asia Europe Meeting (Asem) Meeting for Governors and Mayors in Jakarta.

The enforcers will be deployed to the North, South and Chinese cemeteries in Manila; Manila and Loyola Memorial Parks in Parañaque; La Loma, Bagbag, Himlayan, Eternal and Holy Cross in Quezon City.

 MMDA mobile patrol and motorcycle units will also go near provincial bus terminals in Cubao, Quezon City and Pasay City, all along Edsa, to watch bus drivers violating the “Nose-in, Nose-out” policy, which prohibits them from making unnecessary maneuvers near the ingress and exits of their terminals—often a cause of traffic gridlock along Edsa on All Saints’ Day.

Six ambulances and tow trucks will respond to road emergencies.

According to retired police general Danilo Gaoiran, MMDA supervising consultant for traffic, the agency is tasked to manage and control traffic, while the local government units will implement their respective traffic-rerouting schemes.

Makati traffic advisory

IN a related development, the Makati Department of Public Safety (DPS) said traffic in streets around three major cemeteries in the city will be rerouted starting October 31.

The rerouting will cover streets around the following cemeteries: Manila South Cemetery, Makati Public Cemetery and Makati Catholic Cemetery.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. said the areas to be closed starting at 6 a.m. on Sunday are South Avenue, between JP Rizal and Metropolitan Avenue; Kalayaan Avenue, between Zapote and Nicanor Garcia (formerly Reposo); and Vito Cruz Extension, between South Avenue and Zapote.

Due to these road closures, JP Rizal will be made two-way from Guadalupe/Edsa up to Trabajo Street in barangay Olympia during that period. Westbound, Hippodromo Street will be made one-way toward AP Reyes Avenue.

On the opposite direction, J.P. Rizal Avenue from Pasong Tamo will be made one way up to Trabajo Street, eastbound.

Traffic along Metropolitan Avenue from Ayala extension to Nicanor Garcia (Reposo) will also be one way, while Pasong Tamo from corner J.P. Rizal to Pasong Tamo Extension will have normal flow.

Kamagong Street from Zobel Roxas to Dao and from Dao Street to Ayala Avenue extension will also be on normal flow.

By midnight of October 31, these roads will also be closed: Nicanor Garcia (Reposo), between JP Rizal Avenue and Kalayaan; Pililia, between J.P. Rizal Avenue and Kalayaan; JB Roxas, between JP Rizal and Kalayaan; Kakarong, between JP Rizal and Metropolitan; Montojo, between South Avenue and Zapote; Yague, between South Avenue and Zapote; Panama Street, between South Avenue and Zapote; and Suez Street, between South Avenue and Zapote.

On November 1 the traffic police and the DPS will allow parking of light vehicles in areas not mentioned in the rerouting scheme.

However, one-side parking will be strictly implemented. Cars of violators will be towed.  

Parañaque traffic advisory

THE Parañaque Traffic Management Office on Thursday issued an All Saints’ Day traffic advisory effective October 30 to November 1 for motorists coming from Baclaran to Sucat-Highway and back.

“We advise motorists, particularly those visiting [their] departed loved ones at the Manila Memorial Park and Loyola Memorial Park along Dr. Arcadio Santos Avenue [formerly Sucat Road], as well as at the Palanyag Public Cemetery in the Kabihasnan area, to strictly follow the traffic-route scheme to ensure smooth traffic flow and avoid inconvenience,” Mayor Florencio Bernabe Jr. said.

Starting from Lopez Avenue:

a. PUJs going to Sucat Highway must take the inner lane;

b. All vehicles going to Manila Memorial Park should take the middle and/or outer lanes;

c. All other vehicles bound for Sucat Highway and Loyola Memorial Park should turn right to Lopez Avenue

Coming from Sucat Highway going to Baclaran:

a. All vehicles bound for Manila Memorial Park should take the middle and/or inner lanes,

b. All other vehicles and PUJs going to Baclaran shall take the outer lane or take Presidents Avenue instead and turn right to corner of Aguirre Avenue (inside BF Homes) then turn right on El Grande Avenue for exit to Lopez Avenue.

Traffic enforcers shall be deployed at various points along the Dr. Arcadio Santos Avenue to assist motorists, as well as medical teams to be posted within the immediate vicinity of the two private parks ready to respond to emergency cases.