No PUJs near meet venue; heads’ convoy gets priority

Asean flags are placed on the posts leading to the old Mandaue Mactan bridge as part of the preparations for the meetings.
CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO

ASEAN MEET TRAFFIC PREPARATIONS

Only a stretch of road will be closed to public utility jeepneys in Cebu City during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit meetings this week.

The meetings will be held in the cities of Cebu and Lapu-Lapu. Mandaue City is included since leaders will have to pass through Mandaue City to get the Cebu City venue or Lapu-Lapu City venue.

In Cebu City, a kilometer stretch of the Juan Luna Ave. Extension starting from the intersection near the Mabolo Police Station going to intersection of the Sergio Osmeña Ave. will be closed to public utility jeepneys when the meetings will be held.

Francisco Ouano, Cebu City Transportation Office operations chief, said that PUJs are not allowed to enter S. Osmeña road, Juan Luna Extension and Kaohsiung Street.

The stretch of road fronting Radisson Blu hotel will be opened to the jeepneys after the meetings.

Radisson Blu is one of the venue of the meetings of Asean leaders this week.

“Bawalan nato walay jeep makasulod during sa meeting nila (in Radisson Blu). Ilahang conference until after office hours raman. So igka gabii dili na crucial ato na paagihon balik (We would not allow the jeepneys to enter the road fronting the Radisson Blu Hotel while the conference is ongoing which is done during office hours only. So in the evening when the meetings are done, the jeepneys can ply their routes in the area again),” said Ouano in a text message to Cebu Daily News.

The jeepneys using the SM Terminal will be affected by this traffic move.

Ouano said they would decide on a temporarily terminal for these jeepneys during the meetings today (Monday).

Meanwhile, in Lapu-Lapu City, there will be no road closure and rerouting that will be implemented during the summit.

Jay Pino, desk officer of City Traffic Management System (CTMS), said that there is no need to close the streets since they are staying in different hotels in Lapu-Lapu.

The leaders meetings will be held in Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort and Spa and Radisson Blu Hotel from April 3 to 7.

“Through radio ipa-disseminate ra nga naa na ilahang convoy diha ra ta mag pa stop sa mga sakyanan and prioritize ang convoy (Through radio the traffic personnel would disseminate the information that the convoy of the leaders is moving. Then we will stop the traffic flow of the other vehicles since the convoy will be given priority to pass),” Pino said.

It will also be the same in Mandaue City and Cebu City. The convoy of the delegates will be prioritized.

Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (Team) chief of operations Glenn Antigua advised the motorists to avoid Plaridel St. and A. Soriano Avenue as much as possible.

“Kung wala g’yud toyo sa Plaridel ug A Soriano likayan usa siya sa duration sa Asean summit para dili makapuno sa traffic sa route sa mga delegado (If they don’t have any appointments or plans in Plaridel St. and A Soriano Ave. they should avoid passing there during the duration of Asean summit so they will not add to the congestion),” Antigua said.

He said from Lapu-Lapu City the delegates will pass by the main road of Mandaue City like U.N Avenue, D.M. Cortes St., A. Soriano Ave. to Ouano Avenue in going to Cebu City.