People rush towards the Cebu City Sports Center for the free concert dubbed ‘Arat na Cebu’ last March 26, 2022. CDN Digital photo | Delta Letigio
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) express readiness for this weekend’s crowd-drawing political events.
On Friday, April 1, 2022, the administration bloc of Partido Barug PDP Laban will be holding two rallies at the South and North District.
The Barug-PDP Laban and MARINO partylist proclamation rally will start at 6 p.m. at the Barangay Hall in Tisa followed by another grand introduction at 8 p.m. at Grand Convention Center along Archbishop Reyes Street.
Six stages will be set simultaneously at Barangays Poblacion Pardo, San Nicolas, and Guadalupe for the South and Barangays Cogon Ramos, Tinago, and Talamban in the North.
The gathering is expected to bring in crowds all over the city and so the CDRRMO expects traffic in the affected areas.
On Saturday, April 2, 2022, vice presidential candidate and Senate President Vicente Sotto III, will also be holding a grand rally at the Cebu City Sports Center.
At least 20,000 are expected to be in attendance. The event will also proclaim the city’s opposition bloc, Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), candidates.
Lawyer Gerry Carillo, the chairperson of the disaster council, urged the public who will be attending the said events to be vigilant at all times.
He urged the organizers to be attentive as well especially if the crowd is already too much to handle.
Carillo said the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) will be deploying at least 400 personnel for the event on Saturday just in case there will be too much crowd.
“Sa Arat na Cebu concert, we did not expect the crowd. This time, we will already set-up two triads inside Abellana (CCSC) to handle the crowd,” said Carillo.
The three entrances of the CCSC will also be well guarded to facilitate the entry of the crowd.
Councilor Joel Garganera, the deputy chief implementor of the EOC, urged the public not to bring minors just in case the crowd is too large and a stampede could occur.
“I encourage nga vaccinated lang, pero of course if unvaccinated sila, please lang be more vigilant,” said Garganera.
The councilor wishes that all events will be successful and safe. He appeals to the organizers to self-police the events and be aware of the crowd incidents. /rcg
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