Roads near Sto. Niño Basilica limited to pedestrians

WALK THIS WAY

Mayor Rama says downtown road closures ‘good for easing traffic’  

Churchgoers flock to the Basilica Minore del Sto Niño, where the belfry is still being reconstructed. Conservation experts want to close off vehicles access to Osmeña Blvd. in front of the basilica to preserve the structure.
(CDN FILE PHOTO)

Pedestrians will rule the day in many downtown streets of Cebu City, especially those around the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño.

Starting today, vehicles won’t be allowed to enter  streets that will be  “pedestrianized”as crowds build up for the Sinulog and processions of the Señor Sto. Niño.

Mayor Michael Rama yesterday said the  road closures, especially those near and leading to the Baislica Minore del Sto. Niño,   would help ease traffic congestion.

The changes may even be made permanent after the Sinulog.

“This will be for the Sinulog to start with. It will be very good for traffic,” Rama said.

A dry run for road closures will be held this afternoon.

Affected are  streets of MC Briones, Jakosalem, Lapu-Lapu, P. Burgos, Mabini, Manalili and Magallanes.

Since last week when Sinulog activities and the novena masses for the Feast of the Sto. Niño started, the influx of  people  and vehicles has worsened traffic in the  downtown area.

Thousands of devotees flock to the basilica where 11 daily masses are held for crowds that pack the Pilgrim Center.

Long lines of devotees also enter the basilica to pray before a  four-century-old image of the Santo Niño, patron of Cebu given as a gift by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 to Rajah Humabon, chieftain of the island.

Navy personel carry the image of the Sto. Niño out of the Sto. Niño Basilica in this April 2011 file photo of the first Kaplag procession. Below, downtown streets affected by a trial run of road closures.
(CDN FILE PHOTO)

HERITAGE VALUE
Mayor Rama, who will sign the road plan for the changes, has another reason for adjusting street access to favor people who walk ––    stability of the historic basilica, whom conservation experts warned last year was vulnerable to vibrations caused by street vehicle traffic, especially after the October 2013 earthquake.

“The most important thing is that it (pedestrianization) will also addresses the issue of preservation. Movement of the ground (caused by vehicels) creates threats on the integrity of structures that have been there since time immemorial and sites declared by UNESCO, the National Museum and historical institutes as heritage sites,” Rama told reporters.

Aside from the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño, other historic structures within the  area are Plaza Independencia, Malacañang sa Sugbo, Carbon Market, Colon Street, Warwick Barracks, Freedom Park, Casa Gorordo, Parian monument, Metropolitan Cathedral of Cebu and the Cathedral Museum.

Last year, Augustinian priests of the  Basilica initiated requests to the Cebu City Government to pedestrianize the portion of Osmeña Blvd. fronting the basilica.

This was needed  to pave the  way for the shoring of the basilica’s belfry which collapsed during the 7.2-magnitude earthquake last year.

The basilica was closed for repairs and reopened last Dec. 24, 2014.

Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella proposed an ordinance last year to permanently pedestrianize the area. Approval is still pending.